RECIPE: Probably The Fudgiest Dark Chocolate Chunk Brownies We’ve Ever Had—Made With 45% Dark Choc!

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These brownies will probably be the best one you’ve baked in a while. They’re fudgy and gooey inside, with a to-die-for crisp surface, and an interior that’s packed with pockets of molten dark chocolate. Palm sugar gives these brownies smoky, caramelised notes that get more intense over time. Exercising self-control on these might not be so easy... [Go straight to recipe]

The Perfect Chocolate Brownie

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These fudge brownies—one of the best things we’ve test baked recently. We went absolutely no-holds-barred with the chocolate. Want the recipe? Comment 🙋‍♀️/🙋‍♂️below, tag your brownie-crazy friends, and we’ll make it a reality.

A post shared by Bakestarters | Singapore (@bakestarters) on May 30, 2020 at 12:21am PDT

Everyone’s idea of “the perfect brownie” is different. 

Some of us enjoy lighter and cakier brownies that resemble a chocolate cake, while some of us prefer the decadence of a fudgy, dense brownie. 

That’s the reason why we can find thousands, or even millions of brownie recipes online.

Each of these recipes differ in terms of ingredients used, their ratio, and the technique in which they’re incorporated into the brownie recipe. 

Brownies might seem like one of the baked goods where you can’t fail, but getting the result you’re expecting takes more than just pure luck.

It’s essential to choose the right ingredients and use them correctly!

A Fudge Brownie Recipe With Pockets Of Molten Chocolate

We have posted several recipes of brownies and chocolate cakes before, and you can even get one of our brownie baking kits to bake at home. 

However, this version is very much different. 

These dark chocolate chunk brownies are incredibly fudgy on the inside, with pockets of gooey molten chocolate within, AND a to-die-for crispy top. 

If that’s not the definition of true decadence, we don’t know what is.

The Flavour and Texture Develops Over Time

Although we’re using 45% dark chocolate, which is not too bitter, these brownies will not turn out cloyingly sweet. 

Palm sugar, which is used alongside regular white sugar in this recipe, lends caramelised and smoky flavour notes to these brownies—it makes the overall flavour more complex rather than plain sweet.

When you store these brownies overnight, or even after 2 days, the caramelised flavour will develop and become more rich and intense!

If you’re unable to find the granulated palm sugar that we used, feel free to substitute it with dark brown sugar instead.

Read Next: How To Reduce Sugar In Your Recipes

Apart from the development of flavours, the texture of these brownies also changes over time.

They’re very fudgy and gooey when they come out of the oven, but they get chewier the longer you store them. 

If you’re more into brownies with gooey centers, reheat them before digging in. 

So, for the people who enjoy a good fudgy or chewy brownie, you’ve got the best of both worlds here!

No Cocoa Powder and Vanilla Required

The interesting—and somewhat funnily surprising—story behind these brownies is that they were actually created out of a lack of ingredients. 

One of our bakers wanted to bake a batch of brownies at home, but was unable to find cocoa powder, vanilla, and brown sugar at the supermarket. 

She then decided to go along with it, and substitute brown sugar with granulated palm sugar instead, skip the vanilla, and add more dark chocolate to compensate for the lack of cocoa powder. 

She then lugged her shopping bags home, busted out her whisk, and whipped out a test batch. After a few tries and a bit of tweaking here and there, came the birth of one of the best brownies she’s ever had!

What Makes These Brownies So Fudgy?

In baked goods where chocolate is the main component, flavour is not the only thing to consider; achieving the texture we want is also important. 

All brownies have the same basic ingredients: flour, sugar, and eggs. 

The type of fat used in the recipe determines the final texture of brownies, including how fudgy they are.

Besides the type of fat, the texture and mouthfeel of brownies can also be varied by using different types/forms of chocolate and adjusting the ratio of ingredients.

Using cocoa powder in your brownies will give them a softer, cake-like texture while using melted chocolate yields fudgy and chewy brownies. 

The melted chocolate also gives these brownies a rich, silky mouthfeel.

When there is more sugar, eggs, and fat than dry ingredients, brownies will obtain a fudgy texture. 

There are significantly less dry ingredients than chocolate and butter in this fudge brownie recipe, making them ultra-fudgy.

The type of fat used in brownies also affects the outcome. We combined butter and chocolate before mixing it with the other ingredients in this recipe. This mixture of butter and chocolate gives the brownies a fudgy and dense interior, since the cocoa butter that’s found in chocolate is firmer than butter at room temperature. 

Giving Your Brownies a Shiny, Crackly Top

The interior of a brownie might be fudgy, chocolatey, and sinfully delicious, just like how you want it to be. But without the shiny crust, it’s just not the same. 

We love biting into this crunchy top as much as the fudgy layer beneath it. We don’t know about you, but boy do we love the textural contrast a crisp top brings to fudge brownies!

The formation of crust in brownies is not a random occurrence.

This crispy layer is a layer of meringue made of whipped egg whites and sugar. It might look nothing like meringue cookies, but the principle behind these two things are the same.

Beat the egg mixture as much possible before adding in the flour and chocolate mixture to get a more prominent crust. 

At this point, don’t worry about overmixing! When there is no flour in the mixture, gluten will not form and toughen your brownies no matter how long you whisk. 

It’s very important to whisk until the mixture volumises and gets lighter in colour. Otherwise, the crust formation will be minimal.

However, remember not to whisk too much once the flour is added.

The batter will have some lumps, but that is totally fine! There’s a risk of making your brownies tough and dense if you aim for a completely smooth batter and overmix it.

Now that you know the secret to a fudgy interior and crispy crust, gather the ingredients and get started on these dark chocolate fudge brownies!

With pockets of gooey molten chocolate in every bite, these brownies will never fail to satisfy your sweet tooth. And before we go, a word of advice—don’t skimp on the final addition of chopped dark chocolate before baking, it’s what makes these brownies special (and so very decadent).

The Fudgiest 45% Dark Chocolate Chunk Brownies

For that shiny, crackly top, remember to whip the egg mixture until it has lightened.

INSTRUCTIONS

For Brown Butter

1. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat butter over low heat while swirling the bottom of the pan periodically. The colour will change from a lemon yellow to golden brown, then a toasty brown.
2. Remove from heat when you see brown specks at the bottom and smell a nutty aroma. Be careful not to burn it!
3. Transfer to a heatproof bowl and let cool slightly.

For Brownies

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. 
2. Chop dark chocolate (1) into small pieces. Place into a medium heatproof bowl.
3. Chop dark chocolate (2) into half-squares and set aside. This will be added to the brownies just before baking.
4. Pour hot brown butter over chocolate (1) and let sit for 1 min. Be sure to include all the brown bits!
5. Mix well with a spatula until smooth and combined.
6. In a large bowl, combine granulated sugar, palm sugar, salt, and coffee powder. Mix to combine.
7. Add eggs into the mixture and beat with a large whisk/hand mixer until mixture volumises and appears lighter in colour.
8. Add in the cooled chocolate-butter mixture.
9. Mix until well combined. 
10. Sift in flour.
11. Fold mixture gently with a whisk until well combined. There should not be any flour specks left. Do not overmix. 
12. Pour batter into a parchment-lined 8” x 8” pan. Push chopped dark chocolate (2) evenly and generously all across the batter. Leave some bits of chopped chocolate slightly exposed at the top so that they’ll peep out later post-bake.
13. Bake for 20–23 minutes. Depending on the material of your pan, the timing will differ. When it’s done, the edges should pull from the sides, and the top should look dry, set, and shiny. A skewer inserted into the center should leave slightly sticky or with moist crumbs attached. Remove and let it cool outside of the oven. Do not overbake otherwise the brownies will not be fudgy. Cool completely in the baking tin before removal and slicing. You may let it cool at room temperature overnight before slicing the next day.

Storage: Keep at room temperature for up to 3 days. Otherwise, cover and refrigerate for 5–7 days. Reheat gently before consuming, if desired.

The Ultimate Fudge Brownie Recipe For Every Chocolate Lover

Apart from choosing the right ingredients, knowing how to use and treat each individual component is also important in achieving optimal results. Follow the steps in our brown butter video tutorial for that extra special touch to your brownies! 

Still craving more brownies? Try this version that comes with a local twist: Fudgy Gula Melaka Brown Butter Dark Chocolate Brownies.

Trying this recipe out? Make sure you hashtag #bakestarters on Instagram so we can see your wonderful creations!

Read Next: A Six-Ingredient Milo Lava Cake Recipe To Bust The Stay Home Blues 

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