Chocolate » The Ultimate Fudgy Brownies

The Ultimate Fudgy Brownies

April 14, 2020 by Catherine Zhang 29 Comments

The recipe for the ultimate thick and fudgy brownies with a shiny crackly crust. Learn the secret to creating the perfect brownie with the trademark cracked crust and rich, fudgy interior.

My Ultimate Brownies

Every blog has to have their own ultimate brownie recipe right? This is one of the first recipes I ever developed and still one of my favourites. A good brownie recipe is a staple in any bakers collection and I made it a mission to perfect this. That being said I “perfected” this in primary school and as I kept baking I had my doubts as to my primary school definition of “perfect”. BUT after trying a lot of other recipes here and there I’ve always returned to this recipe.

The depth of chocolate flavour and balance of fudginess is something unmatched. I use a combination of dark chocolate, milk chocolate and cocoa powder, creating a rich chocolate flavour that is not too sweet, and if you top this with a little flakey salt, you could probably eat the whole batch in one sitting…

Cakey or Fudgy Brownies?

I know that people feel very strongly about their brownie preferences. Cakey, fudgey, light, dense, gooey, crispy, corner, edge, centre… the list goes on. For me the perfect brownie is one that is slightly dense and rich with a crackly crispy top and shiny crust. This recipe creates just that. If you love a thick chewy brownie keep these in the fridge, if you want a moist gooey brownie eat these warm!

Nuts in Brownies?

Another debate. Nuts or no nuts. I think nuts provide that extra little crunch as well as a change in texture that compliments the brownie. On top of that the slight bitterness of the walnut counteracts the sweet chocolate, making it the perfect combination. Of course these are optional, but highly recommended! There are so many different ways of eating it and serving it, but I am sure that this will fulfil your brownie needs one way or another.

Frequently Asked Questions on Brownies

What makes a brownie fudgy?

The key ingredients in making brownies fudgy are chocolate and butter. The similarities between these two is fat. Cocoa butter from the chocolate and butterfat from the butter. The more fat there is the fudgier the brownie will be!

How do I get a crust on the top of my brownies?

It can be frustrating when your brownies bake up dull and boring, you want that shiny crackled crust! The secret to achieving this is in two key areas: sugar content and egg beating.

The most important of the two is the beating of the eggs. You want to beat the eggs until they have doubled in volume and become lighter in colour. If you draw a figure eight with the batter the eight should sit ontop of the batter before sinking back in. This creates a meringue of some sort that floats to the surface of the brownie when baked.

The other key area is sugar content, however you don't need to worry about that since I've taken care of it in the recipe! The sugar melds with the egg to create the crust. Using a mix of milk chocolate and dark chocolate also helps as it increases the sugar content while not being too sweet.

How do I know when fudgy brownies are done baking?

A skewer inserted in the centre should come out wet with a few crumbs. If it is completely covered in raw batter it needs to bake a little longer.

Let's Get Baking!

Let me know if you make these! No matter whether you are a beginner or an experienced baker a brownie always hits the spot 🙂 Tag me on instagram @catherine.justdessertsau and hashtag #cattycakes, I can’t wait to see your creations. Happy caking!