When you make them right, brownies are the ultimate dessert and comfort food. Of course, the perfect brownie can be dense, gooey and fudgy or light and cakey, depending on what works for you. However, achieving your idea of perfection is not always easy. The following tips should help you make a mouth-watering brownie that will have you marvelling at your skill.
The Recipe is Key
Decide which types of brownies you want, gooey or cakey then find the right recipe. For the dense kind, the recipe should include melted chocolate, butter and eggs. On the other hand, cocoa powder is best for light brownies. A little baking powder is necessary to achieve a cakey texture. Ensure that you use quality ingredients.
Avoid Splits
You want a consistent mixture of your ingredients to prevent the brownies from being grainy and greasy. Use a little milk to hold your mixture together. Take time to beat the eggs and sugar well for that soft and airy brownie.
Proper Lining
Use non-stick baking or parchment paper to line your tin. The lining allows you to remove your baked brownies without them falling apart. Before setting the baking paper, grease the tin first to prevent the lining from moving around.
Get the Timing Right
Recipes come with individual cooking times because they depend on different variables. Brownies overcook easily, so be careful with the timing. Check them five minutes before the set cooking time. A quick toothpick test should tell you if they are ready. Insert a toothpick in the middle of a brownie, and if it has sticky, moist crumbs when you remove it, they are ready. Note that the cooking container can affect baking time.
Let Them Cool
Brownies tend to crumble easily when hot, which makes cutting them straight from the oven a bit messy. Let them sit in the tin for approximately 15 minutes to cool completely. You can then refrigerate them for an hour before cutting your perfect squares.
Go Dairy Free
Rather than butter, you can use oil in your brownie recipe. You can use the same quality of butter to measure the oil. Hazelnut, walnut and other nut oils are particularly ideal for adding a classy taste to your brownies.
Have Fun a Little
You can experiment any way you want with your brownies. Add-ins can give your brownies a distinct taste and make your treats interesting. You can add nuts, dried fruit or chocolate chips to give your brownies a little more flavour. Bacon is another unique add-in that can marry perfectly with chocolate. Chilli flakes work too if you are looking for a bit more kick.
Get a Crunchy Centre
Another way to add a twist to your brownies is to make them with a crunchy middle. Pour half the batter in your tin, add a layer of biscuits then put the rest of the batter and bake.
Try the Cupcake Tray
Brownies do not always have to be square. When looking to have fun with your brownie recipe, try baking them in a cupcake tray. You would not need to change anything else in your preparation. However, the baking time is short with a cupcake tray.