How to make the best chocolate fudge brownies
After tasting my first mouthful, I was hooked. How could I not have tried this delectable dessert before? It was like eating the most delicious chocolate with the texture of dense, rich cake. More satisfying than a bar of Galaxy, and perfect with a cup of strong white coffee. And apparently, home-made chocolate brownie tasted even better!
So began my quest for the ultimate chocolate brownie recipe, and after several variations I've finally settled on the one I consider to be the best!
The Best Chocolate Fudge Brownie Recipe
Recipe Type: Dessert
Summary:
A rich, dark recipe for chocolate fudge brownie with chocolate chips. Excellent with strong coffee!
Preparation Time: 20m
Cooking Time: 30m
Total Time: 50m
Yield: 8 large portions or 16 normal sized ones!
Ingredients
100g Dark chocolate
100g Milk chocolate
150g Butter (or butter-like spread), chopped into cubes
125g Plain flour
40g Cocoa powder
200g Caster sugar
1tsp Baking powder
3 Eggs, beaten
100g Dark chocolate chips (one whole bag). Substitute for milk chocolate chips if you prefer.
You'll also need
- Two large mixing bowls, one of which must be heat-proof
- Saucepan
- Rectangular baking pan
- Greaseproof paper
- Electric whisk
Instructions
1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees C (355 degrees F). Grease and line your baking pan with the greaseproof paper.
2. Half-fill your saucepan with water and set it to a simmering heat. Place the heat-proof bowl over it, making sure the base does not touch the water. Pop your cubed butter into the bowl and while it begins to melt, break up your chocolate bars into pieces (while still in the wrapper, it saves time!).
3. Mix your chocolate pieces in with the butter using a wooden spoon until the mixture is completely melted and smooth. Be sure to take it off the heat so the chocolate doesn't burn!
4. In a separate bowl, sift your flour, baking powder and cocoa powder, add the caster sugar and combine. Stir in your chocolate-butter mixture and mix well until no powder remains.
5. Add your beaten eggs and whisk with your electric whisk until the mixture is smooth and velvety (about 2 minutes).
6. Add the chocolate chips and stir through with a metal spoon until the chips are evenly distributed.
7. Pour the mixture into your prepared baking pan and bake for 25-30 minutes. At this point, use a skewer or sharp knife to check if the brownie is set in the middle - if the skewer comes out clean it's ready to take out. If not, leave for a few more minutes and try again.
8. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 20 minutes or so. Lift the brownie from the tin and transfer to a board to cut into portions.
If you're making this for dessert, this recipe is perfect for 8 large portions and perfect served warm with vanilla ice-cream!
Alternatively, cut into 12 or 16 more reasonable slices and store in an airtight container - they taste even better the next day!
More about this recipe
This chocolate fudge brownie recipe evolved from one published in the first edition of The Simple Things which included fresh raspberries and vanilla essence. While I liked the idea of using fresh seasonal berries, I found the recipe a little too sweet and dainty.
The next time around, I substituted the raspberries for chopped, then whole preserved Amarena cherries in syrup (a delectable bargain I found on offer in Aldi) and left out the vanilla altogether. This resulted in a gorgeous brownie (which was quickly whisked off for approval by my Other Half's co-workers) though it still didn't quite hit the mark with me.
When asked to make a version of my brownies without fruit, I decided to swap the cherries out for chocolate chips instead. I like having something extra in the mix to add a bit of texture, and it was at this point that I decided the recipe was perfect. In fact, there was none left of that batch for my Other Half to test on his co-workers as me and the children (okay, mostly me) had polished off the entire batch within a day!
I hope you enjoy making, eating and sharing my best recipe for chocolate brownies! Do you have any suggestions for alternatives or improvements? I'd love to read your thoughts in the comments section below!
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