Brownies are the ultimate chocolate dessert. And fudgey and chewy brownies are the best ones (sorry cakey fans). After baking countless batches, I have discovered several tips and tricks to make perfect brownies every time! With these five tips and tricks, you can throw the box brownie mix away and make delicious and impressive homemade brownies!
Incorporate dark chocolate
Some brownie recipes call for melted chocolate, some just cocoa powder, and some contain both! In any case, I recommend using dark cocoa powder and dark chocolate.
You can also use a chocolate bar and chop it into small pieces. I don’t recommend using milk chocolate because the chocolate flavor is very mild. I prefer chocolate chips because it saves time and creates fewer dishes.
Make it extra fluffy
Many brownie recipes do not include leavening agents like baking powder or baking soda. Whipping your eggs and sugar with an electric mixer or huge biceps helps create structure in the brownies without leavening agents.
I suggest using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment to whip your eggs and sugar. Whip them together on a medium-high speed until they have doubled in volume, appear light and fluffy, and have a pale yellow color.
Parchment paper goes a long way
An essential step to getting perfect brownies is to prepare your pans properly! Parchment paper prevents the brownies from sticking to the bottom of the pan. In the baking world, there is nothing worse than things sticking to pans.
Measure the width of the bottom of your pans and cut the parchment paper to size. You will need two pieces of this size. Then cross the parchment in the pans – one placed vertically and one placed horizontally. Now, pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan and bake!
Use flaky salt for a crunch
Adding a sprinkle of flaky sea salt to your brownies immediately after removing them from the oven will change your life! I’m slightly obsessed with adding flaky salt to desserts. The contrast of the sweet and salt adds complexity.
Use just a pinch of flaky sea salt that has a flaky or coarse grain. This will add a bit of crunch and texture that perfectly contracts and compliments the sweet, fudgy brownies. Just a light sprinkle will do.
What type of eggs make the best brownies?
We don’t want our ingredients freezing up and seizing up! Ideally, all ingredients should be around the same temperature so they combine well and create a nice, thick, homogenous batter.
Using room-temperature eggs in your brownies is a great way to help with the emulsification of the batter. Emulsification means that the ingredients will combine well and play nicely with one another.
