Try this Easy Brownies recipe, or contribute your own.
- Carbohydrate 52.6935017257732 g
- Cholesterol 417.425 mg
- Fat 158.325805834106 g
- Fiber 1.69191669861919 g
- Protein 11.8535125078761 g
- Saturated Fat 97.850942083456 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (420g)
- Sodium 981.877334344723 mg
- Sugar 51.0015850271541 g
- Trans Fat 13.2545020835882 g
- Calories 1656 calories
Step-by-step
- Position oven in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 325.
- Line bottom and sides of 8x8 inch square baking pan with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.
- Place butter, cocoa, sugar, and salt in a large heatproof bowl and place bowl in a skillet of simmering water. (Remove skillet from the stove first.)
- Stir occasionally, until butter is completely melted and mixture is smooth and warm.
- Remove bowl from skillet.
- Stir in vanilla and eggs, one at a time. Stir vigorously after each egg.
- When batter is well mixed and shiny, add flour and mix well.
- Stir for 50-60 strokes with a wooden spoon, scraping down sides of bowl and incorporating all the flour and cocoa.
- Stir in nuts if using.
- Spread batter in prepared pan and place on lower oven rack.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick comes out with just a little batter.
- Remove pan and cool completely on a rack, then lift foil out of pan and transfer to cutting board.
Why did the center sink while the edges overbake? Achieving a dense crumb relies entirely on thermal control during the initial melting phase and rigorous mechanical action later.
- Use a wide skillet filled with simmering water rather than boiling water when melting the butter and cocoa to prevent scorching the dairy solids.
- Incorporate eggs strictly one at a time, beating vigorously after each addition to emulsify the fats and build the glossy surface sheen.
- Count exactly fifty to sixty strokes when incorporating the flour; under-mixing leaves pockets of dry powder, while over-developing the gluten yields a tough, cake-like texture.
- Bake strictly at 325 degrees Fahrenheit on the lower oven rack to insulate the bottom crust from burning before the center sets.
- Pull the pan when a wooden toothpick inserted into the center emerges with a few moist crumbs clinging to it, acknowledging that residual pan heat continues the cooking process during cooling.
Adjusting this formulation requires caution because altering the ratio of sugar to fat changes the internal structure significantly. Scaling quantities upward demands a larger baking vessel to maintain the precise depth needed for a fudgy interior.
