Brownies are one of the great pillars of authentic American pastry, and it’s definitely time I shared a video of how I like to make mine.
Generally, people prefer brownies in one of two categories – cake-like in texture or fudge-like in texture. To be honest I don’t know if I’ve ever met anyone who prefers the cake-like variety, but they must be out there because brownie mixes have the option on the box. Right?? If you’re one of them, give a shout!
Anyway, I’m a fudge brownie guy. In fact, I’m a super fudge brownie guy so we’re gonna top these dudes with ganache, making this brownie dense, uber-chocolately and honestly, really easy to make.
Oh, and for those interested, the brownie was born in Chicago during the late 1800’s. Bertha Palmer, the wife of the owner of The Palmer House Hotel, asked the pastry chef to make something special for her during the World’s Columbian Exposition of 1893. Bertha needed a pack-and-go treat for the woman’s pavilion of the Exposition.
The Palmer House kitchen came up with a chocolatey bar dessert complete with walnuts and an apricot glaze. This would later be dubbed the brownie, although where exactly the name “brownie” came from is still unknown.
Cheers – Chef Scott
- 82 g cocoa paste baker's chocolate
- 332 g chocolate, 58% Guittard La Premiere Etoile
- 452 g butter unsalted
- 383 g sugar
- 383 g powdered sugar
- 18 g vanilla extract Madagascar Bourbon
- 400 g whole egg about 4 eggs
- 7 g salt
- 367 g All-purpose flour
- 73 g cocoa powder
- 6 g baking powder
- 200 g chocolate, 66% Guittard Organic Semisweet
- 120 g chocolate, 38% Guittard Organic Milk
- 80 g glucose
- 305 g heavy cream
- 115 g butter unsalted
- 2 g salt
- Bring the whole eggs to room temperature before getting started. If using a baking pan, coat the bottom and sides of the pan with butter, and then a thin layer of flour.
- Combine and sift the dry ingredients and reserve.
- Combine the cocoa paste and chocolate and gently melt in the microwave or over a double boiler. Melt the butter and combine with the chocolates.
- Add the sugar, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt to the chocolates, mixing well to combine.
- Add the whole egg in a few small additions, mixing to combine with each addition.
- Fold in the sifted dry ingredients.
- Spread the batter evenly over a half sheet pan lined with a non-stick baking mat and a pan extender.
- Bake at 176C/350F for 35min. or until a knife comes out of the brownies nearly clean.
- Bring the butter to room temperature before getting started.
- Combine both chocolates and reserve to use later.
- Combine the heavy cream and glucose and bring to a simmer.
- Pour the hot heavy cream over the chocolates and add the salt. Let the mixture sit for 2-3min. and whisk or hand blend until well emulsified - shiny and smooth.
- Cool the ganache to 30C/86F and add the butter.
- Hand blend the mixture until emulsified (again), and let the ganache cool in the refrigerator until stiffened, but still pliable enough to spread and pipe.
- Top the brownies with ganache, spreading the ganache over the cooled and uncut brownies. Use the tip of an offset spatula to create a ridged pattern on the surface of the ganache.
- Let the brownies chill the in the refrigerator until the ganache is set, then cut.
Hi Scott, this looks delicious. Step 7 is a bit confusing. Can you clarify. Should brownies be cut or uncut before spreading the ganache?
Hi Nicole,
Sorry about that, not sure how that first “cut” got in there! I spread the ganache over the uncut brownies, then cut!
Cheers – Chef Scott
Hi Scott, these brownies sound fantastic. But glucose? You can buy just glucose? Where? Is it a liquid or a sugar texture?
Love your Instagram page btw.
Thanks!
Hi Debby,
Luckily glucose is pretty easy available, and is actually a great ingredient to have in your repertoire! I purchase this one, it’s a thick liquid texture. In the recipe video I show my little tip/method for measuring it without making a mess haha. Hope you give the brownies a try!
Cheers – Chef Scott
Hi Chef Scott,
looks delish.
On first glance I found that 400g eggs are about 8, not 4, eggs. Not a problem for me as I weigh everything, but again: someone who uses imperial measurements might just trust the recipe and throw in 4 eggs, right, and then what?
Sorry to be such a nitpicker.
Made your cheesecake but haven’t tasted it yet as it is for a bday party. Looks stunning for sure. Will let you know once we get to eat it.
Cheers,
Catharina
Hi Catharina,
I should be paying you as my recipe editor! Haha yes, the 4 eggs was intended to be 8 but I didn’t catch it before publishing. The printed recipe is correct, though! I hope you like the cheesecake!
Cheers – Chef Scott
Haha, yay, extra income, I won’t stop you :)))
That aside, the brownies were great and gone just like that… speaks for itself.
Best,
Catharina
CHef Scott,
Hope you well. I made this twice. The first time i got a lot of cracks on the surface and a slight dome and i just used another pan to flatten it. I was too impatient and did not make the ganche but it sure tasted fine and so fudgy by itself.
I made it again yesterday and had the same issue but this time i held back and make the ganache and followed the recipe to a T. I have to say, normally i have huge issues with my ganache but this beauty was smooth and shinny and a joy to spread.
So what am i doing doing wrong in regards to the batter?..overbeating it, too much BAking powder? I used 170°c to bake…I mean your batter looks so perfect and smooth and flat…and i want mine to look same same.
As always, thanks for everything you do.
Hi Esha,
If you got cracks on the surface of the brownie during baking, it could mean the temperature was slightly to high – water evaporating very quickly and then escaping the batter quickly can cause those cracks. You could also have cracks do to over-mixing which may have incorporated a bit too much air. First, I’d try mixing just until the batter comes together once you’ve added the dry ingredients. Don’t be afraid to mix well when you are incorporating the eggs and butter/chocolate – you want that to be well emulsified – but once the flour goes in, only mix until combined. If you still get cracks, you may want to slightly reduce the oven temp. Although 170C is correct, you may have a hot or more efficient oven or even just a hot spot in it. Let me know how it goes!
Cheers – Chef Scott
Hi scot, what are the dimensions of the cake frame.
Regards jess