What makes brownies properly fudgy?

[JavaChip]

I've got a tried and tested brownie recipe from nigella but they are never fudgy enough. They can be soft but not fudgy like in a coffee shop (good one.!)

Should I be using led flour?

Anyone got a proper fudgy recipe please ?

What I found to be a game changer regardless of the recipe is to put them in the fridge once they're cooked.

Use James Martin’s Dark Chocolate Brownie recipe. Cook until only just done then, the important bit, put the brownie tray in a tray of ice to stop them cooking further. That’s what I do and people always say my brownies are the best they have ever had!

The BBC best ever brownies are the best I think. Take them out of the oven when you're still wondering if they're done.
I might try the fridge trick. That makes some sort of sense!

The BBC recipe is really good, you have to take them out when they’ve still got a bit of a wobble I find

Oh and to add, despite what chefs say, you don’t need to use fancy chocolate. I use the cheapest dark chocolate Tesco sell (eating chocolate, not cooking). It’s around 40p per 100g bar. I did a taste test with the brownies using that in one batch and Green and Blacks in the other and nobody could tell the difference.

Delia Smith’s brownie recipe is my winner. Not so much flour, combined with butter and chocolate- melted together.

Under cook them slightly.

You'll be overcooking them. They have to make you think 'shit, that's not done yet' when you take them out. Putting in the fridge would work as well because you're shortening the cooking time (they continue cooking after you take them out of the oven).

Thanks for sharing. Love making nigella brownies but will try Delia ones.

Any one tried an alternative to butter which is now so expensive.

@Sunshineandrainbow the cheap chocolate is fine I find but unfortunately replacing butter stops them being fudgy when I've tried

Undercook them slightly as they always firm up more as they cool. Google Tasty brownie recipe. Mega fudgy.

You can also put chunks of chocolate that have a soft inside in them like Lindor or Galaxy Caramel.

I got the perfectly rich, fudgy chocolate brownie recipe from a friend years ago. Every time I make them I am inundated with requests for the recipe.

200g 70% cocoa dark chocolate (Lindt is my favourite, but Green &Blacks works well too)
185g salted butter
3 medium eggs
325g caster sugar
130g plain flour

Turn oven on to preheat at 170C. Line a 9x12 inch cake tin with grease proof paper.
Get a bowl and put in the chocolate (broken into pieces) and the butter (cut into small pieces). Microwave for 20 seconds at a time, stirring in between until fully melted.
Add the caster sugar and mix through, then add mix through the eggs. Finally mix through the flour until fully combined.
Put the mix into the lined baking tin and smooth the top.
Put into the middle of the oven. The baking time significantly varies depending on the oven, but in my current fan oven it takes around 20 minutes. It's ready when the surface has gone crispy and is starting to crack slightly, but if you touch it it still feels squishy underneath. If it still feels liquify under the crust then it's not ready. Err towards under rather than overcooking if you're unsure.

Then - this is the most important part - let them cool FULLY before cutting. At least a couple of hours or so. This lets the butter set which is what makes it fudgy.

This is the recipe I use. Great texture. www.waitrose.com/ecom/recipe/easy-raspberry-brownies

I undercook them already and they aren't fudgy enough!

Undercook just makes them soft not fudgty

Mary Berry's recipe can't be beat... and yes, pretty sure she makes the point of taking them out when they've gone Crispy on top but have a slight wobble. You the cool them in the tray and oh my GOD - best brownies!

Have you tried Nigel Slater’s recipe? That’s my favourite and I’d say it was fudgy.

Just marking my place. Been searching for a good brownie recipe for ages.

@Sunshineandrainbow I make gluten-free brownies from the gluten-free goddess website. She uses coconut oil instead of butter and they are still fudgey. It adds a coconutty flavour which I quite like but still use butter sometimes for a more authentic brownie! (Don't use the egg substitute though unless you have a reason to.)

Melt the butter and sugar together to start. Take them out when they look a bit wobbly still in the middle, and let the set in the fridge overnight

Lots of good suggestions here.
Will do some practical research and report back!

I did an experiment a few years ago -bought 2 packets of brownie mix and cooked one packet on day one, cooled and refrigerated overnight, second packet cooked next day. On day 2, took the fridge brownies out and let them come up to room temperature, and let the fresh brownies cool.

Fridge brownies from the previous day were by far the better.

I make brownies from scratch and always bung them in the fridge overnight (once they've cooled).

I think beating the eggs and sugar together until they are thick and pale is the key. The BBC best ever brownies describes the method - I use a different recipe but the gist is the same. This gives a fudge centre and a crisp top. Perfection!

I undercook mine, cool in the pan, cut into squares and then put them in the freezer. My recipe is an all-in-one recipe where you melt the chocolate and butter in a pan, and then just mix in the sugar, vanilla, eggs, flour and whatever else you fancy (sometimes dried cherries, sometimes cocoa nibs, ginger, etc etc).

Add marshmallows, and undercook them. Works a treat.