How to Make the Perfect Brownie
They seem so simple to make when compared to intricate and multi-step desserts, but there's definitely an art to making the perfect brownie. Whether you fall on the chewy, gooey, cakey, or dark chocolate side of things is a matter of personal preference, but making the best possible version is simply an art that you can learn to master.
Click here for the How to Make the Perfect Brownie Slideshow
How? We wanted to know too, so we asked the popular Treats Truck owner, Kim Ima, for her tips and advice, plus recipes from her new Treats Truck cookbook.
Click here for The Perfect Brownie Recipe
She begins with the caveat that there's definitely "more than one kind of perfect brownie" and everyone has a special brownie that they love. While she loves every type of brownie, she usually prefers ones that are a little chewy. (For a chewier brownie, use one less egg than in her Brownie Recipe, which falls more on the cakey side.)
For more tips on making the best brownie you can, check out these tips and the video below. Happy baking!
VIDEO: How to Make the Perfect Brownie
1. Ingredients
"Unsalted butter is the best for baking because you can control the amount of salt used. I don't find that you have to use a super fancy type of butter - if you have it, use it, but it's not totally necessary." For chocolates, Ima says that there are all kinds out there to buy, but she prefers using a Baker's chocolate because it's packaged in small pieces and is easy to use. Since it's not sweetened, it's not an ideal nibbling chocolate. You can get nibbling chocolate for baking, though, in either chips or a bar. The shape doesn't really matter because you are going to melt it down, anyway. She says that the important thing is to taste the chocolate, and try to bake a batch of brownies with the chocolate you always use and then bake a batch with another type to see which you like more and what the difference is. A tasting party with your friends never hurts.
Click here for the Foolproof Baking Tips Slideshow
2. Change It Up
Brownies are simple, but there are also a lot of little things you can do to make them different. Ima suggests changing how much Baker's chocolate you use (which has no sugar) or how much dark chocolate you use. Play with a little more this and a little more that to see how you like it. It's an ongoing, lifelong pursuit and process of exploration to see what you like. And of course, your preferences could change over time depending on what you're in the mood for.
3. Prep Work
Ima likes to have her ingredients measured out and ready before she begins. Part of this process includes taking her eggs out of the refrigerator as she gets started so that they are at room temperature when the mixing begins. (This doesn't matter as much with butter because you are going to be melting it anyway.) The benefit of this is that you have everything ready to go, and it looks pretty.
4. Love Your Timer
Timers come in very handy when you have a lot going on. Ima usually sets her timer for five minutes before the brownies are supposed to be finished - for 30 minutes instead of 35, for example - because you can always bake it for longer, but you can't go back in time.
5. Know Your Oven
It's really important to know your oven because there are cold and hot pockets. Does she recommend turning the pan halfway through the cooking time? Not unless you know that your oven has a cold corner.
6. An Important Brownie-Making Rule
One thing that's important no matter what kind of brownie you're making is to not overmix; if you overwork the dough the batter won't come out the same. Her mantra for brownies is to incorporate so that it's mixed well enough and just enough. Luckily, the batter is very forgiving (it is chocolate after all), but as you're mixing it in, she says that you'll see that the egg is no longer in pieces and has become part of the batter. Once you get the mix you like, the batter is quite simple, and then you can play around from there.
Bittersweet Chocolate-Caramel Swirl Brownies Recipe
Mom's Fudge Brownie Sundae Recipe
Click here for More Tips for How to Make the Perfect Brownie
- Yasmin Fahr, The Daily Meal
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