An all time favourite. The paper-thin, shiny, crinkled top and a decedent, rich, fudgy centre are all trademark signs of the ultimate brownie. The key is to underbake them slightly, which can be hard as it goes against the normal baking rules - but once cooled, it gives the brownies their gooey, fudgy soft centre.
Useful Video Timestamps:
Lining the baking tin: 00:15
Melting the butter and chocolate: 02:06
Dry ingredients: 02:48
Whisking the eggs and batter: 03:08
Folding technique: 04:11
Pouring into prepared tin: 04:56
Baking the brownie: 05:06
Knowing when the brownie is ready: 05:13
Measuring & slicing: 05:42
Storage: 07:47
Printable Recipe PDF
Time to prepare: 15 minutes Time to bake: 25 - 30 minutes
Serves: 12
Ingredients
280g unsalted butter
280g 70% + good quality dark chocolate
300g caster sugar
3 eggs
60g plain flour
60g cocoa powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp espresso powder*
Method
Pre-heat your oven to 160°C fan/180°C conventional/gas mark 4
Grease and line a 20cm x 20cm (8” x 8”) square baking tin. Let the baking paper come up over the sides of the baking tin, these will act as ‘handles’ to be able to pull the cooled brownie out of the tin once baked.
In a small saucepan over a low heat, melt the butter and dark chocolate together. Remove from the heat once it’s nearly melted, it will continue to melt off the heat. Add the caster sugar in to the melted chocolate and butter and stir until mixed through. The sugar will start to dissolve but the mixture will still be slightly grainy.
In a mixing bowl, sieve in the flour, cocoa powder, salt and espresso powder (if using), stir to mix.
In a seperate large mixing bowl, crack in the eggs. Use a standing mixer, electric or hand-held whisk to briefly whisk the eggs together. Pour the melted chocolate, butter and sugar mix in with the eggs and then whisk for about 2 - 3 minutes (if using a standing or electric whisk, on medium speed) or for 5 - 6 minutes (if doing it by hand) until the batter is thick, glossy and leaves a slowly sinking trail when you lift the whisk. This vigorous whisking is what helps create a paper thin, shiny crinkled top.
Add in the sieved dry ingredients and fold through until just mixed. The batter should be thick, heavy and glossy. Pour this into the prepared tin, smooth out the top with the back of a spatula or spoon.
Bake for 25 - 30 minutes, until the top of the brownie has set and the outside is firm to touch. It’s okay if the middle is still wobbly and in-fact this is what we want to aim for, a little jiggle when you gently shake the pan. This is the perfect time to take the brownies out the oven - when they’re slightly underbaked - and is what gives them their soft, fudgy centre. They will continue to bake and firm up outside of the oven.
Wait until completely cooled before removing from the tin and slicing.
Nutritional Information
(per slice)
447 calories
6g protein, 37g carbs, 30g fat
Good to know:
Because chocolate is the predominant ingredient here, you want to make sure it's good quality. Not cheap baking chocolate (which is useful in other recipes, but not brownies!)
I love using dark chocolate chips because they melt quicker
Espresso powder is completely optional, you can't taste the coffee but it's commonly added to chocolate bakes to help enhance the flavour of the chocolate. Feel free to skip it or use decaf powder. You can use instant coffee powder (eg. Nescafe Azera) or dissolve coffee granules in 1 tbsp hot water
Keeping the brownies in the fridge can make them easier to slice
Brownies will last for up to 7 days at room temperature or wrap individual slices in cling wrap and store in an airtight container or ziplock bag in the freezer for up to 3 months