Are you on team edge or center when it comes to brownies? Well, no matter your preference, these homemade brownies are the real deal, with their signature crinkle top and fudgy center. While we’ll always have a soft spot for boxed brownies, these homemade ones have stolen the show in our home. They’re simply the best!
Here are some key tips to nail your brownie game:
- Fudgy Centers – Baking Time: Take them out of the oven just before you think they’re done. Forget about the toothpick test – these brownies are so rich in chocolate that the tester will still come out a bit wet when they’re perfectly done. Look for a slightly cracked top and a gentle firmness to the touch.
- Quality Chocolate: Go for high-quality bittersweet chocolate. Since these brownies are mostly chocolate with minimal flour, the quality of your chocolate really shines through. Our top pick is a 70% Valrhona bar, but you can also use bittersweet chips or bars. Trust us, it’s worth the splurge!
- Crinkle Top: Achieving that coveted crinkle top is all about whipping enough air into the eggs. As you beat the egg mixture, it should thicken and turn pale. Test its texture by lifting some batter with the whisk – it should fall in a wide ribbon that slowly dissolves on the surface of the batter. This takes about 4 to 5 minutes of consistent whisking with a stand or hand mixer.
The Best Brownies
Servings 12
Ingredients
- – 1 cup of salted butter about 227 grams
- – 14 ounces of coarsely chopped bittersweet chocolate
- – 1/2 cup of unsweetened Dutch cocoa powder about 60 grams
- – 1 cup of all-purpose flour about 120 grams
- – 5 large eggs
- – 1 cup of packed dark brown sugar about 140 grams
- – 1 cup of granulated sugar about 200 grams
- – 1 teaspoon of salt use 1/2 teaspoon if using Morton salt
- – 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract
- – 1 tablespoon of espresso powder optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Butter and line a 9-by-13-inch metal baking dish with parchment paper.
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat, then add the chocolate. If needed, heat the mixture for an extra 10 seconds until fully melted.
- Set aside the chocolate mixture to cool.
- Sift the flour, espresso powder, and cocoa powder into a small mixing bowl, and set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, beat the eggs, sugars, salt, and vanilla until thick and pale in color.
- Fold the cooled chocolate into the egg mixture, then gently fold in the flour mixture.
- Pour the batter into the prepared dish and smooth the top.
- Bake for about 25 minutes until the top looks slightly cracked and feels soft to the touch.
- Let cool completely on a wire rack before cutting into squares.