In search of the Perfect Brownie Recipe

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Helen Jackson

For some time now I have been in search of the “perfect” brownie recipe  (seeking perfect recipes is a bit of a personality flaw) which all seems fine and easy except that what I think is perfect seems to keep changing.

Our original brownie recipe here on foodlovers is one that I have made repeatedly over the years and I still do like.  It gets fairly firm and chewy around the edges and has a chewy cake consistency.  The edges can get dry but sill in a tasty way.  TI generally add nuts  which vary between walnuts and macadamias depending on what I have on hand or I leave out  nuts and stud the surface with frozen raspberries.   Chocolate and raspberries of course are a lovely combination. This brownie is best when  pulled from the oven before it becomes over cooked as the edges can get too hard and often I slightly undercook it so as to get a fudgy moist centre.

Then earlier this year at an afternoon tea I tasted a gooey chocolate brownie that a family friend had made and decided that it was perfect.  Almost like eating fudge (as in confectionary) mixture straight from the pot before it had set.  Having a fair amount of sugar in it there is a crisp outer shell that then cracks to expose a very soft, slightly sticky, fudgy inner.  I think it delicious.  However it is a recipe that tends to polarise people as while some have raved other cooks/readers have exclaimed “too sweet”. “sunken middle” and other such complaints.

I then sat thinking about what I really like in a brownie and decided that ground almonds and slightly more flour as an addition to the gooey brownie would give some texture to the fudge like centre, prevent the sunken middle and a little less sugar would mean there wouldn’t be a brittle shell on the outside and the quantity or sweetness wouldn’t put people off.  So I made it and yes I think it is the perfect brownie – well for now anyway!  It is soft in texture and needs to be left to cool completely before cutting.  Unlike the original brownie above it doesn’t have chew factor.
I  had to add some chopped white chocolate as well just to finish it off!  Thus it became a double chocolate brownie

For those wanting a more healthy style brownie then do try the Healthy Food guide version and if you really want to confuse the issue here are a selection of brownie recipes – that include some from well known cafes from around New Zealand – from a previous forum discussion.

What do you think makes for a perfect brownie?

 

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5 thoughts on “In search of the Perfect Brownie Recipe

  1. I have made a chocolate brownie approx. 2o years ago it had cream cheese in it I have never come across such a recipe it was outstanding as all brownie are can anyone let me know if they know that particular recipe please

  2. Wicked Chocolate Brownies

    In a saucepan melt 250g Butter once melted take off the heat and stir in 150g good cocoa.

    Add 5 large eggs or 6 smaller eggs, 500g caster sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract and mix well.

    Fold in 100g sifted flour, 1tsp Baking Powder and 250g of dark chocolate drops or chips (if you prefer use white chocolate)

    Pour into a greased 300 x 300 square tin, but I use a lasagne dish and comes out well.

    Bake at 150 degrees for 50 minutes. Slightly under cook as it dries out quickly.

    When cool dust with icing sugar.

    If having for pudding it is lovely with a Raspberry sauce and vanilla icecream and/or whipped cream…

  3. I like them chewy rather than cakey, and moist not dry. I have a recipe from Sophie Gray that I love, it is rather decadent though with lots of butter and chocolate. I tend to make them straight chocolate, although have made them with nuts or white chocolate chunks too.

    I have another recipe only using cocoa which is also nice but lacks the class of the one with chocolate and cocoa. I use Whittakers 70% chocolate in mine.