Fudgy Brownies

Two types of chocolate for a rich and fudgy brownie
1 hour 50 minutes Total Time
20 minutes to prep
30 minutes to bake
1 hour to cool
Comments
16 servings

I like to compare recipes from my favorite baking sources so I can pick the best one and have a “go to” recipe. I did a bake-off to compare the brownie recipes from Cook's Illustrated, King Arthur Baking, and Stella Park's Bravetart cookbook. I employed multiple taste testers and basically, no one could pick a favorite. They were all good. Each of the three recipes used two or three forms of chocolate and all were the fudgy kind of brownie. 

I decided to make my own variation of the Bravetart recipe. I'm using a little less butter because I'm skipping the step of browning the butter, which was not noticeable to me in the final product. (I love browned butter when it is more obvious in the flavor.) I'm also using just a little bit more sugar. These brownies are fudgy but not too dense. They are a great base if you want to mix in nuts or anything else. 

Use good quality chocolate and cocoa for these brownies. A higher fat Dutch processed cocoa is worth buying. Droste is a good grocery store brand. An aluminum pan will cook these more quickly than a glass pan, and that is what I recommend here. 

Ingredients

Directions

  • Gather and prep ingredients. Preheat oven to 350°.
    Step 0
  • If using a square or rectangular pan, line with a strip of foil long enough to have an overhang on the longest side so you can pull brownies out of pan. Spray pans with a non-stick spray.
    Step 1
  • Sift flour and cocoa together.
    Step 2
  • Melt butter and chocolate in a saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat.
    Step 3
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, combine sugar, salt, eggs, vanilla, and espresso powder. Whip on medium-high speed until the mixture is thick and lighter in color. This can take up to 8 minutes. Do not shortchange this step. If you do not have a stand mixer, using a hand mixer will take longer.
    Step 4
  • Reduce mixer speed to low. Pour in the butter and chocolate mixture and mix to combine.
    Step 5
  • Add the whisked flour and cocoa and mix until combined.
    Step 6
  • Remove bowl from the mixer and scrape/stir with a spatula to make sure everything is incorporated.
    Step 7
  • Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
    Step 8
  • Bake brownies until the top is papery and the brownies are firm around the edges. A toothpick in the center should not be gooey. The brownies will be around 205°.
    Step 9
  • Cool the brownies before cutting and serving. The brownies freeze well
    Step 10

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