Making brownies has been one of the most satisfying things I have ever done. I started a few years back when I just arrived in Montreal. It seemed easy, and I really wanted to eat brownies. Fast forward a few years and I think I finally managed to get exactly what I want out of brownies.
The best fudgy brownies are the ones you make. Believe me.
What Makes The Best Fudgy Brownies
The short answer is : Sugar + Butter + High Quality Dark Chocolate.
The long answer is just as simple. First you start by separating your dry from your wet ingredients. The dry ingredients are:
- Cocoa Powder (sifted): The heart and soul of every decent brownie. You want to get the best cocoa powder you can afford.
- Flour (sifted) : We’re using less flour than Cocoa powder here, for one simple reason. Flour will make your brownie more cakey, and we are looking for fudgy, not cakey.
- Sea Salt
The reason you want to sift your flour and cocoa powder is to avoid having in lumps in your mix. Your wet ingredients are:
- Chocolate : Yes, you need both chocolate and cocoa powder. The reason is that real cocoa powder is undiluted, which means it will add a lot of richness to your brownie. As for the chocolate, I prefer using 70% dark chocolate (you can use any kind you like) because it adds more depth of flavour not to mention that it makes the texture a lot better. Why you ask? When chocolate cools down, it acts as a binder, which will in turn make your brownies more chewy, a.k.a. fudgy.
- Eggs: They are the binder that holds the brownie together. They act as a litteral glue, which you will be able to see your self once you add your eggs, your batter will get sticky and silky, almost like caramel
- Butter: It is the best kind of fat to add to brownies. It’s flavourful, it adds texture, just like chocolate once it cools down, it will help your brownie set.
- Sugar: I use good old granular sugar. It works best for fudgy brownies as it dissolves faster in the warm butter and makes the batter very fudgy.
- Bonus Ingredient: Dulce de Leche. You don’t have to use this, but a like to drop a couple spoons on top of the brownie batter just before baking and swirl it around. You can skip it, or top with chocolate chips, chopped nuts or just flakey sea salt. This part is completely up to you my friend, so go crazy!
How To tell When Fudgy Brownies Are done?
That’s the tricky part my friends. You want to bake your brownies for 25 minutes at 350F. At the 20 minute mark, you’re going to want to do a toothpick check. If your toothpick comes out full of batter, then you need to bake for another 5 minutes. If your toothpick is slightly wet, then your brownies are done. Remember that your brownies will continue on cooking for a few minutes after you take them out of the oven, so don’t over cook them.
I personally prefer a when my brownie are just a little underdone (20-22 minute mark). I like them gooey on the inside, almost like a chocolate fondant.
Our top 5 tips for the Best Fudgy Brownie
- Don’t add your eggs directly to your warm chocolate. Add the sugar first to cool down the chocolate mixture, before adding the eggs.
- Don’t bake directly in your brownie pan. Make sure that you line up your brownie pan with parchment paper.
- If you are baking them for 20-22 minutes, like me, make sure you let your brownie rest for at least 1 hour before cutting. These brownies get a lot better once they completely cool down, so make sure you give them some time to chill.
- We used an 8×8 brownie pan, because we like our brownie to be thick. If you are using a bigger pan, like 9×13, your brownie are going to bake a lot faster. Keep an eye on them.
- Last but not least, do not over cook. If you want gooey fudgy brownies, you want to make sure that they are slightly under-cooked (20-22 minutes).
Ultra Fudgy Brownie Recipe
Ultra Fudgy Brownies
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2/3 cup cocoa powder (sifted)
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour (sifted)
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (you can also use semi-sweet)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Optional: 2 tsp dulce de leche or any topping you like
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350F. Line an 8x8 brownie pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a bowl, mix all dry ingredients and set aside. In a separate heatproof glass bowl, add chocolate chips and butter. Microwave on high heat for 1 minute 20 seconds. If you don't have a microwave, you can melt your chocolate over a double boiler.
- Add your vanilla extract sugar and whisk until completely dissolved. Add your eggs, one at a time and whisk continuously until well combined. Add dry mixture and gently fold it in until well combined. Pour your batter onto your brownie pan and using a spatula, make sure that your brownie batter is evenly spread.
- (OPTIONAL) drop 2 tbsp of dulce de leche onto your brownie batter and using a chop stick, swirl around your dulce de leche until you get a marbled texture.
- Bake for 20-22 minutes for a super fudgy brownie, and a little more (25 minutes max) if you want your brownie to be a little more set. Take your brownie pan out, and let it completely cool down for at least an hour (2 hours for best results). Serve and enjoy!
Tried it. Simple to make, delicious! I higlhy recommend trying this recipe 🙂