by Paige Okun
I'm an unapologetic no-nut-fudgy brownie lover. Over many years of trial and error, I perfected The Best Brownies Ever! And, scores of my kids' friends agree with me.
Follow the technique exactly, the texture changes depending on the way you combine ingredients. The big secret though, lies in leaving the centre a little under-baked, then refrigerating the brownies so the centre solidifies creating a fudge-like texture. These are seriously chocolatey and not for the faint of heart. Enjoy!
Ingredients
375 grams (1.75 cups) soft unsalted butter
375 grams (12 ounces) best-quality (70-90% cacao) dark chocolate
6 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
500 (2.5 cups) grams caster/fine grain sugar
225 (1.75 cups) grams plain flour
1 teaspoon salt
350 grams (2 cups) chocolate chips
To Make
Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C Fan/350°F/gas mark 4. Line a baking pan measuring approximately 33 x 23 x 5½cm / 13 x 9 x 2¼ inches with parchment or baking paper.
Melt the butter and chocolate together in a large heavy-bottom pan over a low flame on the stove top, OR in the microwave by heating for 1 minute, then stirring. Then heating 30 seconds, stirring and repeating until chocolate has melted and mixture is glossy. If you do it in the microwave do it very short bursts of time. If you overcook, the mixture will seize and become grainy.
Set aside chocolate mixture to cool for about 5-7 minutes.
While cooling:
Measure the flour and salt into a bowl and set aside.
In a separate bowl beat the eggs with the sugar and vanilla. Then add the cooled chocolate mixture. Beat again gently to incorporate the chocolate. Do not over-mix.
THEN, add the flour mixture to the wet mixture. Beat until smooth. Do not over-mix.
Add the chocolate chips and stir through with a wooden spoon or spatula.
Bake for about 25-30 minutes. When it's ready, the top should be dried to a paler brown speckle, but the middle still dark and dense and gooey.
Even with such a big batch you need to keep an eye on the cooking time—the difference between spoolshy, fudgy brownies and dry brownies is only a few minutes. Remember that they will continue to cook as they cool.
Cool completely then place the whole pan in the refrigerator for about an hour. This creates some magic by solidifying the centre and making the inside fudgy and dense.
It's my secret trick for THE BEST BROWNIES EVER!
Store in the refrigerator for maximum fudgieness. Cut into small squares and enjoy...these can be frozen wrapped tightly.