Squidgy and flakey brownie recipe

[HarryVanderspeigle]

I have once again made a square tray bake cake with a passing resemblance to brownies. It is definitely not brownies though. I have tried different recipes and have no idea where I am going wrong. Can anyone out there make brownies that are actually brownies? If so how? I am looking for the delicious flakey bits on top, with the chewey centre please.

This is the recipe you want. I have tried many and this one is perfect, every time.
https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/seriously-fudgy-homemade-brownies/#tasty-recipes-66528

Marty berry chocolate chip brownies. You need loads of sugar!

This is my go to recipe and is everyone's favourite!

185g butter
185g dark chocolate
85g plain flour
40g cocoa powder
3 eggs
275g caster or light brown sugar

extra chocolate chips or chocolate chunks if you wish!

melt butter and chocolate together.
whip eggs and sugar til thick and creamy.
add melted butter and chocolate (make sure it's not too warm or it may scramble the eggs)
add cocoa, flour and additional chocolate chips

Grease and line 8 inch tray.
Bake at 180 for around 20 minutes

Insert toothpick or similar - it should come out gooey. If you wiggle the tray lightly and the mixture still looks runny and is moving around then you need to bake a few minutes longer.

The baking is CRUCIAL! If you overbake it'll turn into plain old chocolate cake. If temperature is too high or low, you won't get that crunchy top you're after. You'll probably need to bake a couple of times to get it right for you/your oven etc.

Good luck!

Are you over-cooking them? My fave recipe isn't online but says 35 mins - but I cook it for slightly less as my oven must run hotter. Anything over 30 results in dry cake, not brownies, for me. You have to trust that they’re done as they firm up when cool.

Jane's patisserie choc brownie recipe is perfect although needs longer cooking time than stated, allow 40/45 mins.

The recipe said 28-30 minutes. At 28 the top wasn't flakey, so i put back for 3 more, but it did nothing. I may well have overbaked. It was on at 180.

@Sunshineismyfavourite I would always vote to add more chocolate!

I use nigellas snowflecked brownie recipe. So much chocolate involved!
My top tip though is to make them the day before you plan to eat them. When the tray comes out of the oven, leave the whole tray to cool completely, cover and leave in the fridge overnight. Cut them into squares the next day. I think this is important to not let the middle dry out. The outside is crispy and chewy and the inside is dense and gooey.
My sil once promised us brownies on a long road trip: she presented dried out little squares of cake. The disappointment was crushing 🤣

[[https://www.nigella.com/recipes/flourless-chocolate-brownies-with-hot-chocolate-sauce This is my go-to brownie recipe, for crispy/ goey brownies.

275g butter
375g golden caster sugar
100g plain flour
4 medium or 3 large eggs
quarter tsp baking powder
75g cocoa
100g chocolate chunks milk
75g other nuts/fruit/dark chocolate etc

cream butter and sugar, add beaten eggs then dry ingredients, mix with a spoon, add nuts chocolate etc bake 170 30-40 minutes

better link

It's the whisking of the eggs and sugar that gives you the crispy crust.

I used to use a Sunday Times Recipe book recipe where the sugar was melted in the butter , it was nice enough , fudgey but not crisp.

Then saw a demonstration of KitchenAids ( by Edd Kimber , BakeOff winner) I did think "marketing ploy to sell KitchenAids ) but it works !He said it was the secret to the crispy crust .

I use the Good Food recipe

Also leave them 24 hours before eating , if you can , put them in the fridge a while once cold ,

Not like Nigella Lawson who gets wired into them still wearing oven mitts .
That is cake , Brownies need rest

Bbc best ever brownie recipe. Bring it out when it says, even if it doesn't seem cooked. It keeps baking and this stops it overcooking.

I use the BBC Good Food salted caramel brownie recipe. Turns out great every time.

Definitely this, it’s really good, and also definitely get them out before you think they’re done. Brownies are not cake!

@70isaLimitNotaTarget not convinced my kids would wait a day. Think they would eat me!

No salted caramel 😷
Definitely ruin a good brownie that way

they are worth the wait .

As a test , wrap some up in baking paper/foil and hide them then try them the following day . You'll be converted .
My DD doesn't like walnuts in hers ( though I think they are delicious) though I had some mini Toblerone dark chocolates leftover once and they were fabulous .

You can add things like Creme Egg / mini Creme Egg if you like them .

Bbc best ever brownie recipe.
All brownies need to come out slightly before you think they are done - they are dry otherwise.

It’s the whipping of eggs and sugar which will give the brownies the glossy crispy top you are after. So make sure your recipe has that step included. The fudgey-ness is the melted butter with the choc. Make sure you let them firm up in fridge for best results.

Looking at the orange background - is that a silicone baking tray you’re using? Brownies need to be cooked in a metal baking tin.

This is the one that I use (I think it's the BBC Good Food Ultimate Brownie recipe) and I similarly have had rave reviews every single time.

Yes it is silicone. Thank you for the tip, I will do in metal next time. Generally everything I bake is in silicone.

I am not a fan of foil trays ( and all those Christmas cookery tips about use foil trays to do the roast vegetables , less cleaning , I am No No No , foil is rubbish , you need a good solid tray ) .
But I had some foil traybake tins (Lakeland ones sitting in my cupboard ) , lined one with parchment and it is perfect for the Brownie recipe . And I can store them in the tray , just wrap more parchment round it

I always use the Nigella recipe which is always a hit.

Having read the BBC best ever brownie a lot on this thread. Has anyone done both and which do you prefer.

I need to make some brownies today for the weekend so might try the different recipe.