If you’re craving a quick and easy dessert that hits the sweet spot every time, brownies are the way to go. In the past, I often ended up with cakey brownies, which I was not a fan of. Through trial and error, I learned that the secrets to avoiding cakey brownies are not over-mixing the batter and careful timing to prevent overcooking. In this guide, I'll walk you through this simnple, step-by-step process for making irresistibly fudgy brownies.

Tip #1

Don’t Overbake: To ensure fudgy brownies, remove them from the oven while they're still soft in the centre. They'll firm up as they cool.

Tip #2

Use Quality Chocolate: The quality of chocolate greatly affects the flavour, so use the best you can find within the 60-70% cacao range for rich, deep chocolate taste.

Tip #3

Cool Before Cutting: Let the brownies cool completely in the pan before cutting. This patience pays off with clean, even squares that hold together well.

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Fudgy Brownies

Preparation Time: 25 minutes | Baking Time: 25 minutes

Serves: 9

Ingredients

200g dark chocolate (60-70% cacao), roughly chopped
½ cup (115g) butter, plus extra for greasing
1 cup white sugar
½ cup brown sugar
3 large eggs
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup cocoa powder

Preparation

Prepare Baking Pan: Grease a 20x20 cm metal square pan with butter, then line it with parchment paper for easy removal of the brownies later.
Preheat Oven: Heat your oven to 180°C (350°F) ensuring it's at the right temperature before baking.
Melt Chocolate and Butter: Place chopped chocolate and ½ cup butter in a heat-resistant bowl. Set this bowl over a saucepan with simmering water, making sure the bottom doesn’t touch the water (double boiler method). Stir continuously until the chocolate and butter are melted and combined, about 3 minutes.
Mix Sugars and Eggs: In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 cup white sugar and ½ cup brown sugar. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until the mixture is light and creamy.
Combine Wet Ingredients: Stir in the salt, vanilla extract, and the melted chocolate mixture into the egg mixture until well combined.
Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Sift the flour and cocoa powder directly into the wet ingredients. Fold gently with a spatula just until the flour is incorporated, being careful not to overmix.
Bake the Brownies: Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with a spatula. Tap the pan gently on the counter to remove any air bubbles. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the top is set but the center is still slightly soft.
Cool and Serve: Allow the brownies to cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes. They will continue to set as they cool. Once cooled, cut into 9 equal squares.