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Original poster

What makes brownies properly fudgy?

91 replies

JavaChip · 11/03/2023 12:06

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 ?

OP posts:
Rollingdownland · 11/03/2023 15:36

Following. I love making brownies and blondies. I use Felicity Cloake's blondie recipe.

Figrolls14 · 11/03/2023 19:07

OoooooOooo

Musicofthespheres · 12/03/2023 07:41

Chickpeas

charliegirl86 · 13/03/2023 18:20

pbdr · 11/03/2023 12:34

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.

I'm baking this recipe right now! It's in the oven, will leave it to cool over night once done and report back.. I added choc chips!

charliegirl86 · 14/03/2023 09:44

Update...super fudgey!! 10/10 for fudge factor. YUM. I'm going to make some more today dairy free for my DH using dark choc, dark choc chips and plant butter see if I can get them as good

birdshavingabath · 14/03/2023 09:46

black bean brownies are super fudgy!

pbdr · 14/03/2023 11:50

charliegirl86 · 14/03/2023 09:44

Update...super fudgey!! 10/10 for fudge factor. YUM. I'm going to make some more today dairy free for my DH using dark choc, dark choc chips and plant butter see if I can get them as good

Glad you liked them :) I've made them dairy free before and the plant butter worked well. The texture was just the same and the taste almost as good.

ScrambledSmegs · 14/03/2023 12:01

Controversially I've stopped making my brownies with chocolate and now only use cocoa powder. I wouldn't go back now.

They come out intensely chocolate-y and fudgy. It's all in the under baking.

SoupDragon · 14/03/2023 12:01

"plant butter" sounds so much worse than "dairy free" 😂

charliegirl86 · 14/03/2023 22:30

SoupDragon · 14/03/2023 12:01

"plant butter" sounds so much worse than "dairy free" 😂

Haha that's its name! Flora plant butter 🌱

CornishTiger · 14/03/2023 22:36

I need to be on this thread but my waistline won’t appreciate it!

EyesOnThePies · 14/03/2023 22:55

SoupDragon · 11/03/2023 13:58

The Brownie recipe posted on MN by SuzyWong many many years ago is my go to. Truly awesome.

A 7 or 8 inch square tin lined with greaseproof paper/baking parchment and the oven set to 180/GM4 moderate oven.

A small saucepan in to which you put

150g butter

150g chocolate, at least half of it should be plain

On a low heat and let it melt together and leave it to cool slightly

Then beat together in a bowl

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

175g caster sugar

Until creamy looking, use a hand whisk or an electric one

Then sift in

100g plain flour

1 big tablespoon of drinking chocolate

And a quarter of a teaspoon of salt

Throw in 100g walnuts

And the chocolate and butter and mix well with a spatula, but don't beat it. It should be smooth and glossy.

Scrape the batter into the lined tin and bake it for 18 minutes.

Then have a look at it, the top should be pale and opaque with a couple of cracks starting to emerge like a dried up muddy puddle. The body of the mix will still be slightly wobbly with the edges looking like ordinary cake. If it isn’t like this then leave it in for another 3 minutes or until the first cracks in the puddle surface appear.

Then leave it in the tin to cool for 20 minutes.

I make SuzyWong brownies too!

Without the walnuts.

Very very good.

SoupDragon · 15/03/2023 07:42

EyesOnThePies · 14/03/2023 22:55

I make SuzyWong brownies too!

Without the walnuts.

Very very good.

Show quote history

I never put the walnuts in either.

works really well with gluten free flour too.

Nothingfree · 18/03/2023 18:17

pbdr · 11/03/2023 12:34

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.

Thanks for recipe, made it exactly to the letter and they are extremely fudgy the other recipe I used made them more sponge than fudgy, best I have ever made and every one else who tries it thinks so too, am going to screen shot your recipe and method and keep it forever 🍁

pbdr · 18/03/2023 20:22

@Nothingfree Glad you like it :) They are my favourite brownies in the world, works beautifully if you add some orange extract to the recipe and then put segments of Terry's chocolate orange on top. Or mint extract with an after-eight on top of each slice. White chocolate chips and freeze dried raspberries (not fresh or frozen - too much water) are a hit too. So many ways to customise!

whitesnowflake · 18/03/2023 21:08

I also use the Nigella recipe and the only time mine hasn't been fudge was when I overcooked them. With brownies the timing is crucial - I watch mine like a hawk when they're in the oven

Wishihadanalgorithm · 30/03/2023 22:30

No one has mentioned the Hummingbird Bakery recipe for brownies. Honestly, they are the best, nothing cakey about these at all. Pure fudge goodness!

AngelicCurls · 31/03/2023 20:27

I use the hummingbird recipe as well but I think it is almost identical to the one posted above. Best brownies ever, I sub 30g of the flour for cocoa powder. Lovely with frozen cherries or raspberries pushed in as well

User478 · 31/03/2023 20:51

Give up, use Betty crocker mix.

They are actually heaven.

Synthetic, nasty heaven.

CornishTiger · 31/03/2023 21:52

I’ve ordered a special brownie tin with dividers that lift out after baking. I’ll be trying these.

pbdr · 01/04/2023 07:16

CornishTiger · 31/03/2023 21:52

I’ve ordered a special brownie tin with dividers that lift out after baking. I’ll be trying these.

Those tins are a sure fire way to get cakey/ dry brownies. The metal edges of the tin are always much hotter than the middle, which is why the edges of brownies are usually the driest/cakiest part, with the middle being moister/fudgier. Those tins make every piece much drier. Some people like that so if that's what you're after then great, but it definitely hugely reduces the fudge factor.

FTMUM2023 · 01/04/2023 07:20

charliegirl86 · 14/03/2023 22:30

Haha that's its name! Flora plant butter 🌱

Show quote history

I thought flora was already plant base?

pbdr · 01/04/2023 07:24

@charliegirl86 it is, but the plant butter is more like the block butter you'd bake with, rather than a soft margarine.

CornishTiger · 04/04/2023 10:33

pbdr · 01/04/2023 07:16

Those tins are a sure fire way to get cakey/ dry brownies. The metal edges of the tin are always much hotter than the middle, which is why the edges of brownies are usually the driest/cakiest part, with the middle being moister/fudgier. Those tins make every piece much drier. Some people like that so if that's what you're after then great, but it definitely hugely reduces the fudge factor.

Show quote history

Ah thank you @pbdr . I’ll return it then. It’s not a particularly impressive tin. What would you recommend please?

MerryMarigold · 04/04/2023 10:40

Recipes with very little flour and a lot of eggs. Mine uses melted dark chocolate, loads of eggs/ sugar and only 1/2 cup of flour. Every time I make them I can't believe how little flour, but they are very fudgy and delicious.