What makes a good brownie?

[GreatOrmondSt]

I recently made brownies for the first time and followed my Hummingbird Bakery cookbook to a T....however, my brownies were a little bit greasy, chewy in the middle and very sweet.

Should a brownie be heavy and chewy or light and fluffy? but surely that's then a cake?

Any tips would be greatly appreciated, I am in a search for the perfect brownie.....

Amy x

oooh heavy and chewy definitely

Yes, heavy and chewy. yum yum

interesting.....thanks! Being a bit competitive I had a brownie-off with a girl in the office and hers were light and fluffy! so neither of us could have been winners as our testers all had their own tastes!

Thanks ladies

By the way, have you heard about the Bake it Better week we're running?

heavy and chewy otherwise it aint a brownie imo

heavy and chewy for me too - bit moist still in middle.

Well, like you say, light and fluffy=cake = bleurgh (so dry!)

hahahahahaha

moist in middle - almost like a chocolate mouse. i use nigella's recipe - and people often ask me for it. it's very reliable and a cinch to make.

Nigel Slater's brownie recipe in the Kitchen Diaries is the best in the world. No nuts, dense, deep, dark, moist chocolate. Have made it for foodies who ask for recipe.

Nigella's recipe in Domestic Goddess is really good - easy and people always ask for recipe - dry on top, kind of heavy and moist in the middle, but not overly so.

ah, just saw smallandkind's post - see, it's true!

I just read the heading...my immediate thought was about remembering the Brownie promise, helping old people, putting up a tent and making nice cakes...wrong type of Brownie....

Tawny and Snowy Owl would be very impressed with your knowledge!

I used one of the brownie recipes on here and they were absolutely amazing.

Very very rich but lovely.

Mary Berry's recipe for brownies is bloody fab - they are squidgy in the middle.

Funnily enough someone last week challenged me to a brownie bake off on Monday - I took mine in and then she confessed to being a crap cook and not having any time .

She promises to do her best,
To love her God,
To serve the Queen and her country,
To help other people,
And to keep the Brownie Guide Law.