How Do I Make Good Brownies?

[Anonymous No.13768572]

I am pretty good at baking cookies so I tried making brownies. They look pretty, but the taste isnt great, how should I make them better next time?

[Anonymous No.13768606]

>>13768572
What's the taste lacking?
Not sweet enough?
Can't taste the chocolate?
Does it lack pizzazz?

[Anonymous No.13768627]

Are you using box mixes? I used 1 more egg than what the box recommended me and it made it way better.

[Anonymous No.13768666]

A teaspoon of espresso powder is a good place to start if you’re baking from scratch. It doesn’t make your brownies taste like coffee, it just deepens the flavor.

[Anonymous No.13768684]

>>13768572
I'm guessing they were too much like cake and not enough like fudge? This is actually the best recipe I've found. And it's good if you add some walnuts.

[Anonymous No.13768796]

>>13768606
Chocolate taste was good. It wasnt quite sweet enough. And definitely lacking pizzazz

[Anonymous No.13768808]

>>13768796
Probably put espresso powder like anon said and a little bit more salt. It will also make it taste sweeter. Also, maybe your flour or cocoa powder is stale? The simpler of a recipe the better quality ingredients you need.

[Anonymous No.13768929]

>>13768796
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecns_W9q_s0

[Anonymous No.13769007]

>>13768796
use more salt

[Anonymous No.13769094]

>>13768572
Butter and bread your pan
Don't over work the eggs

[Anonymous No.13769376]

i prefer rye oil over butter desu, gives it a bit different taste and consistence.

[Anonymous No.13769446]

>>13768684
fuck you and everyone else that adds walnuts to brownies, walnuts are the wrong texture for brownies, add a different nut

[Anonymous No.13769450]

>>13769446
>add a different nut
o/k/ay

[Anonymous No.13769493]

>>13769450
walnuts have a different texture to other nuts in baked goods, compare macadamia and wallnuts in brownie and tell me what is better

[Anonymous No.13769651]

>>13768572
600g caster sugar
450g dark chocolate chips
450g plain flour
300g butter
8 eggs
Pinch salt
Squirt of vanilla bean paste

Melt your chocolate butter and sugar together, add the salt and vanilla. Whisk the eggs and slowly whisk your chocolate mixture in. Mix into your flour.

Greased baking tray, 150c for 30 minutes or so.

Stick some mini marshmallows or fudge pieces in the mix if you want.

[Anonymous No.13769850]

5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped coarse
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped coarse
3 tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cup sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour

Melt the chocolate with the butter with small microwave pulses. Do not burn it.

Bloom the cocopowder in the melted butter and add all ingredients save the eggs till it's cooled back to room temperature. Add some espresso powder if you want to and bake it at around 350f for around 30-40 min. If you want it really fudgy consider removing the baking tin Galway and letting it rest for around a min or two before baking them again.

You're free to add nuts or chocolate chips with the mixture or on top of it. Peanuts with meringue give it a Snickers (ISH) vibe.

[Anonymous No.13770203]

I want super dense and chewie brownies, almost like biting into pkay dough. My grandma's brownies were like clay but tasted so good, I admit the texture I want is worse then most other brownies but I want to recreate what my granny used to make me on summer days

[Anonymous No.13770275]

>>13768572
fun fact, in polish we call em NIGGERS and that's 100% real fact

[Anonymous No.13770443]

>>13770203
More egg yolks for dense chewy
More egg white for light cakey
It's a point lots of recipes don't mention

[Anonymous No.13770461]

Literally a box of ghiradelli is all you need. Shit is perfected.

[Anonymous No.13770516]

use butter instead of oil (but keep in mind butter and oil are not exact 1:1 substitutes by volume because butter is only about 80% fat), no levening such as baking soda or baking powder, and no extra liquid such as water or milk (this is brownie, not cake).

[Anonymous No.13770524]

>>13768606
a touch of salt, some dark chocolate chips, and instant coffee powder

[Anonymous No.13770548]

>>13768666
>espresso powder
you mean coffee?

[Anonymous No.13770552]

what's better for brownies? cocoa powder + butter? or solid chocolate + slightly less butter than cocoa powder recipes?

>>13769651
>>13769850

[Anonymous No.13770582]

>>13770552
BOTH cocoa powder and bakers chocolate

[Anonymous No.13770592]

>>13770582
that sounds woke. i can't find any recipes that use both though, unless if the chocolate is used as chocolate chips rather than melted and mixed into the batter.

what is the benefit of using both?

[Anonymous No.13770671]

>>13770592
What? One of the recipes you quoted uses both. The purpose is obviously fucking FLAVOR

[Anonymous No.13770690]

>>13770671
oh right, that one does use both.

but regarding flavor, isn't that achieved through cocoa powder? cocoa powder is pure cocoa solids, which contains all the flavor in chocolate. solid chocolate is cocoa solids and cocoa butter.

so if you want more flavor, wouldn't you simply add more cocoa powder?

[Anonymous No.13770700]

>>13770690
No it’s not if you think they taste the same get your head checked

[Anonymous No.13770705]

>>13770700
where else does chocolate flavor come from besides the cocoa solids? it's not the cocoa butter; cocoa butter has a slight cocoa flavor that comes from the cocoa solids.

[Anonymous No.13770796]

>>13770461
This. I need to go to Costco and pick up another box

[Anonymous No.13770866]

>>13768572
this is what I recommend
>for every 1/2 cup of butter, melt and add one gram of wax
non-special brownies are retarded.

[Anonymous No.13770896]

>>13769651
Holy crap thats a lot of sugar. 200 grams is more than sufficient.

[Anonymous No.13770970]

>>13768572

[Anonymous No.13771215]

>>13770796
>>13770690
>>13770705
I can't stress enough how important the quality of your cocoa powder is in chocolate desserts especially something like brownies.
https://www.seriouseats.com/2018/12/best-dutch-cocoas.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kik4BIYBsHE&t=14m30s
^You want a "high-fat" brand because it retains some flavor and also lowers by weight the starch content ratio of the powder which is super hygroscopic so the cocoa doesn't act like a giant sponge soaking up all of the moisture in the batter during baking resulting in dry tastless bricks of brownies and chocolate cake. Look at the side-by-side comparison in the video above for a demonstration.

Apart from the recommendations in the top link, you can also calculate the fat % by looking at the nutrition facts label and divining total fat (g) / serving size (g) to get a %. Good ones are 20-24% while Hershey's is only 10%, less than half.
https://food52.com/blog/9521-how-to-identify-good-cocoa-powder-and-not-so-good

Dutch (neutral) vs. Natural (acidic) cocoas doesn't matter for brownies cause no there's no leavening agent, but for cupcakes and recipes that call for baking soda/powder you can't use dutch cause the added acidity is needed for rise. Dutch though gives brownies a really dark chocolate look to them which is good for eating with your eyes but also a duller rounder chocolate flavor from the alkaline treatment. Natural cocoa has a stronger chocolate flavor but also comes with those acidic stringent notes like coffee that some people find off-putting.

[Anonymous No.13771296]

This one is my fave since I like brownies that are cakey and fudgey.
INGREDIENTS
1 cup unsalted butter
2 ¼ cups sugar
2 ¼ cups Dutch process cocoa
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
4 large eggs
1 ½ cups flour
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
1 cup chocolate chips (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350°F . Lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch pan.
In a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl, or in a medium saucepan set over low heat, melt the butter, then add the sugar and stir to combine.
Return the mixture to the heat (or microwave) briefly, just until it’s hot but not bubbling; it will become shiny looking as you stir it. Heating this mixture a second time will dissolve more of the sugar, which will yield a shiny top crust on your brownies.
Stir in the cocoa, salt, baking powder, and vanilla. Whisk in the eggs, stirring until smooth, then add the flour and nuts and chips, again stirring until smooth. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake the brownies for 28 to 30 minutes, until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. The brownies should feel set on the edges and in the center. Remove them from the oven and cool on a rack before cutting and serving.

Copypasted but i also add espresso powder to it.

[Anonymous No.13771313]

>>13771215
watching her go to town on those cookies while he's explaining cocoa was fucking hilarious

[Anonymous No.13771388]

>>13771215
>Dutch though gives brownies a really dark chocolate look to them which is good for eating with your eyes but also a duller rounder chocolate flavor from the alkaline treatment. Natural cocoa has a stronger chocolate flavor but also comes with those acidic stringent notes like coffee that some people find off-putting.

I'm glad you point this out because too often I have heard or read people say that Dutch process cocoa gives you a richer chocolate flavor which is completely false and in fact it is the opposite that's true. dutch process is more mild in cocoa flavor as you pointed out. but that milder flavor isn't necessarily a bad thing. a milder chocolate flavor is good for things like if you're going to eat or drink it straight such as in frosting or making hot cocoa. hot cocoa made with natural cocoa powder can taste a little too strong and overpowering.

for something such as brownies or cake were you really want the chocolate flavor to punch through the butter and eggs and stuff, I'd go with natural cocoa.

[Anonymous No.13771393]

>>13771215
>Dutch though gives brownies a really dark chocolate look to them which is good for eating with your eyes but also a duller rounder chocolate flavor from the alkaline treatment. Natural cocoa has a stronger chocolate flavor but also comes with those acidic stringent notes like coffee that some people find off-putting.

I'm glad you point this out because too often I have heard or read people say that Dutch process cocoa gives you a richer chocolate flavor which is completely false and in fact it is the opposite that's true. dutch process is more mild in cocoa flavor as you pointed out. but that milder flavor isn't necessarily a bad thing. a milder chocolate flavor is good for things like if you're going to eat or drink it straight such as in frosting or making hot cocoa. hot cocoa made with natural cocoa powder can taste a little too strong and overpowering.

for something such as brownies or cake where you really want the chocolate flavor to punch through the butter and eggs and stuff, I'd go with natural cocoa.

[Anonymous No.13771522]

cant believe u guys havent suggested indica spice yet :thinking:

[Anonymous No.13772141]

>>13770275
Dutch call a chocolate treat "Nigger Kisses" so what?

[Anonymous No.13772177]

>>13768572
Add some cinnamon and use more vanilla and chop up extra chocolate into it. Walnuts are good, too. Honestly I find making brownies from scratch is hardly worth it, since everyone assumes they are boxed anyways. Try some blondies for a good effort to result ratio.

[Anonymous No.13772319]

>>13770552

Traditionally Brownies are better off using simple chocolate as the flavouring agent which contributes to it's fudginess.
Coco powder results in a more cakey like constituency. Which is why I opt for using both since I get a cakey layer and a not too fudgy centre. There are recipes for cocoa only brownies which are good in their own right. However , follow baking recipes as close as you can with only slight changes. The amount of sugar, butter and flour you use alters the texture of the baked product by a huge margin.

[Anonymous No.13772376]

340g butter
450g dark choco
melt together in double boiler

700g sugar
in mixing bowl

pour melted choco/butter into mixing bowl on low speed until just combined

6 eggs
1 Tbs vanilla extract
combine, mix in gradually

140g AP flour
32g cocoa powder
healthy pinch salt
combine, mix in

when just combined, pour into lined 1/2sheet pan and bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes

mix low-med speed but work quickly. if you let the choco/butter set up before baking they'll be a little cakier instead of super dense/fudgy

halve recipe for 13x9 pan. throw in some espresso powder or mix in candied walnuts or whatever if you want to jazz them up a bit

[Anonymous No.13772380]

>>13768572
stop being fat

[Anonymous No.13772401]

>>13768666
Thanks, satan.

[Anonymous No.13772493]

>>13770548
No, I mean espresso powder. Granted, the amount depends on how big of a batch you make. I usually make double batches, since I have a lot of room mates, so be sure not to overshoot it.

[Anonymous No.13772522]

>>13772376
Isn’t that an absurd amount of sugar? Use 1/3 that or less

[Anonymous No.13772552]

>>13769493
amen to this

fuck walnuts

[Anonymous No.13772656]

>>13772522
no, it isn't. using 1/3 the amount of sugar would throw the entire recipe off and fuck up flavor and texture. I know this from being a pastry chef and making the recipe multiple times. it's like lazy fudge, which is essentially chocolate-flavored sugar. if I wanted a cakey brownie it'd be a different story, but in that case I'd probably just make a tenerina anyway
also look at the entire recipe and consider ratios. 6 (~350g) eggs? 1T vanilla? nearly a pound of butter and half kilo of chocolate? this is a recipe for 13"x18"x~1" pan, not an 8x8x2 or whatever.

[Anonymous No.13772760]

For every quarter cup of oil that any recipe calls for, swap it out with a mashed banana and add some spiced rum.

[Anonymous No.13773356]

>>13772656
>flavor
Are you american? Not meant in a derogatory way, but those guys tend to like everything a lot sweeter.

[Anonymous No.13773727]

>>13773356
honestly? 7/10 bait you very nearly got me

[Anonymous No.13775218]

>>13768572
Where's the chocolate chips???

[Anonymous No.13775224]

Poke holes in them when they’re hot out the oven then pour over melted chocolate (I add Cointreau or whisky to mine). Then let cool and absorb, then cut into squares. Come out very moist and sticky.

[Anonymous No.13776575]

>>13770552
not all solid chocolate has the same percentage of fat in it. you can see for yourself on the packaging of any solid chocolate you have by calculating percentage of fat per serving size.

for this reason, it's better to use cocoa powder + butter so you can have better control over the exact amounts of the ingredients in the recipe, especially for the main ingredients in recipes such as brownies in which the cocoa and the fat content are so important.

>>13772319
to get a more cake-like consistency of brownie you would add more liquid such as water or milk or something, slightly more flour, and leavening such as baking powder. it doesn't actually have much to do with using cocoa powder vs solid chocolate. solid chocolate is just cocoa solids + fat (cocoa butter), and cocoa powder is just cocoa solids, which you can then combine with your own fat (butter).

the fudge-like texture of brownies is due to the ratios of fat, flour, cocoa, and moisture in the recipe.

[Anonymous No.13776679]

Just my opinion.
But a pinch of cayenne pepper whenever making anything with chocolate gives it a little something extra

[Anonymous No.13777880]

My last batch of brownies collapsed like a cake.
What could have gone wrong?

[Anonymous No.13777885]

>>13770896
Depends how dark the chocolate is, I guess you can always scale down.

[Anonymous No.13777922]

>>13776575
different brands of butter have different percentages of fat too.

>>13777880
your baking powder was too old

[Anonymous No.13779032]

why are these fucking good, they btfo my brownies made from scratch.

also i think my oven isnt calibrated to show temperature that you set on the dial. past time i set the oven to 325 and directions called for 30-35 minutes of cooking. i think the pan was a bit deep but i ended up leaving the brownies for an honestr (checking in 10 min intervals) and they still came out slightly undercooked.

i know brownies need somewhat low heat, but i dunno how to compensate with my oven. flatmate also thinks something is up.
>>13770443

not the anon youre rèlpying you to, but thanks anon.

[Anonymous No.13780845]

>>13777922
>different brands of butter have different percentages of fat too.

this is true, but most butters are not as drastically different in fat percentage from one another than chocolate. so it's still better to use butter.
and even between different brands of chocolate there are different chocolate varieties such as chocolate chips and bar chocolate that also contain different fat percentages - even if it's the same brand and cocoa %.

most butters are around 80% fat no matter what brand you're getting. more expensive european butters are like 85%, but that's about it.

[Anonymous No.13781040]

>>13779032
>also i think my oven isnt calibrated to show temperature that you set on the dial.
oven temperatures can be off by up to 50 degrees. get an oven thermometer and check. you should also wait a few minutes after it says it's preheated to allow the temperature to even out before putting your stuff in.

[Anonymous No.13781072]

>>13781040

my oven doesnt have a noise alert to signal it's preheated. or it does and the oven hasnt ever been preheated lol

i dont want to buy a $15 oven thermometer just for this bullshit and im moving out in the fall.

[Anonymous No.13781093]

>>13781072
an oven-safe food thermometer is a good thing to have anyway. it helps you cook your meats to the right level of doneness without any guesswork. they're really convenient.

[Anonymous No.13781220]

>>13768572
>what can i do better?
>do not say what you did

[Anonymous No.13781768]

>>13768606
>not keeping spare pizzazz above the sink