Fudgy Chocolate Brownie (Printable Version)
Fudgy chocolate brownies with a crackly crust and melt-in-your-mouth texture, ready in just 40 minutes.
# What You'll Need:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
02 - 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
04 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
→ Wet Ingredients
05 - 7 oz dark chocolate (at least 60% cocoa), chopped
06 - 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
07 - 1 cup granulated sugar
08 - 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
09 - 3 large eggs
10 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
→ Optional Add-ins
11 - 3/4 cup walnuts or pecans, roughly chopped (optional)
12 - 1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)
# Directions:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x9 inch square baking pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving enough overhang on the sides to lift the brownies out later.
02 - Place the chopped dark chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of barely simmering water. Stir occasionally until completely melted and smooth. Alternatively, melt in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each interval. Let the mixture cool slightly.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract vigorously until the mixture turns pale and becomes slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.
04 - Pour the slightly cooled melted chocolate mixture into the egg and sugar mixture. Stir with a whisk or spatula until evenly combined and glossy.
05 - Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt directly into the wet mixture. Using a spatula, gently fold the dry ingredients into the batter until just combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can make the brownies tough.
06 - If using, gently fold in the chopped nuts and/or chocolate chips until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
07 - Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and use a spatula to spread it evenly, smoothing the top.
08 - Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, or until the edges are set and pull away slightly from the pan while the center remains slightly soft and fudgy. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out with moist crumbs attached, not clean.
09 - Remove from the oven and allow the brownies to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before lifting them out using the parchment overhang and slicing into 12 squares.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- That crackly paper thin crust on top gives way to a center so fudgy it borders on truffle territory.
- You probably have every ingredient sitting in your pantry right now, which means instant chocolate gratification is roughly forty minutes away.
- The recipe forgives almost every mistake a baker can make, from overmixing to slightly underbaking.
02 -
- Underbaking by even one minute too many can make the difference between gooey and raw, so start checking at the 22 minute mark and trust the moist crumbs on your toothpick.
- The brownies will continue to set as they cool in the pan, so resist the urge to overbake based on how soft the center looks straight out of the oven.
03 -
- Chill the brownies in the refrigerator for an hour before slicing if you want perfectly clean edges that photograph beautifully.
- Using two sugars instead of one is the real secret to that moist yet structured crumb that keeps people coming back.