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A Brownie Question

post #1 of 23
12/6/07 at 8:31am
Thread Starter 
My ex-wife used to make Kahlua Brownies that many people liked. I prefer my brownies a little fudgier. She used three squares of unsweetened baking chocolate in the recipe.

My understanding is that the brownies would be fudgier if more chocolate were used, and I was thinking of using some 70% - 75% or so chocolate bars instead of the baking chocolate, and since the bars contain a little sugar, perhaps reducing the amount of added sugar in the recipe as well. Does this seem like a good plan and direction in which to go? Of course, some experimentation is in order to determine the proper number of chocolate bars to use, and the amount to reduce the sugar, to get the result I'd like. Am I heading in the right direction? Any other considerations - maybe reducing the amount of flour the original recipe calls for for an even fudgier, more gooey brownie.

shel (craving chocolate)

shel
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post #2 of 23
12/6/07 at 8:37am
There are a LOT of factors in brownies (as you've already mentioned), and changing one can have quite an effect. Fine Cooking magazine had an article on fudgey vs. cakey brownies a few years ago, in which they discussed the basic differences. Not sure if it's available online.

I'm moving this to the Baking board, where you're more likely to get specific answers.
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post #3 of 23
12/6/07 at 9:13am
Thread Starter 
I found the article as well as some recipes. Thanks for the tip.
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post #4 of 23
12/6/07 at 2:14pm
I've been using the Fudge Brownie recipe from the CIA Home Baking Cookbook. It's FABULOUS. I use 4 ounces of Ghirardelli 60% Bittersweet Chocolate. There's a whole 1/4 cup of cake flour, so you can imagine how dense these are!
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post #5 of 23
12/6/07 at 7:45pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks! Looks like I'm going in the right direction ... for a change :lol:

shel
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post #6 of 23
12/9/07 at 5:17pm
I must be craving sweets because I'm poking around in the baking section!

My brownie recipe comes from SAra Foster and is very fudgy. Here it is:

1#butter melted and cooled
4c sugar
cream together

add 8 eggs
1T plus 2t vanilla

mix well

mix together 2 c flour 1 1/3c good cocoa and add to creamed mixture

then add
2c good quality chocolate chips
'
spread in a greased half sheet pan and bake at 325* for 40 minutes'

Nuts are optional.
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post #7 of 23
12/9/07 at 7:04pm
If I can find my old recipe from my GBC cookbook, I remembered replacing half the sugar with corn syrup and half the coco with melted chocolate gave me very nice chewy and dense brownies...I'm going to have a look around, see if I can find my old notes.
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post #8 of 23
12/12/07 at 5:28am

fudgy brownie

Hi
I have little success with fudgy brownies. always ends of dry and hard.

Has anyone tried fudgy brownies from Moveable feast geneva. It was Oprah favorite things years ago. She also featured Fat witch brownies last year I believe.

I am tempted to order myself some this xmas. It looks so fudgy. If anyone knows how to make this type of texture: thick, moist and fudgey, not too sweet. Please share!!!

In the meantime, I have given up since it costs so much and I have failed...
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post #9 of 23
12/12/07 at 11:49am
Try the recipe I posted above. It is really great. Cut it in half for a 9x13 pan. Check the timing. It may be too long at 40 minutes. Probably someone here can tell you how long to cook it.
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post #10 of 23
12/17/07 at 9:49am
i would love to try this but is there any alternative for chocolate chips to be fudgy?
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post #11 of 23
12/17/07 at 3:20pm
I have been known to forget to put them in altogether and the brownies are still fudgy. :suprise: THey seem to add bulk more than "fudginess". Try adding nuts, PB chips, Reese's PB cups, or nothing at all.
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post #12 of 23
12/17/07 at 4:23pm
THANKS! have you tried using glucose to the brownies? i tried however i can't locate my recipie i was hoping i can share it. it lessen the sugar and the chocolate, but the effect was fudgy and it melts in your mouth.
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post #13 of 23
12/17/07 at 5:17pm
I thought glucose was sugar. What's the purpose of adding that instead of sugar? Is it easier on the body than sugar especially for diabetics?
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post #14 of 23
12/18/07 at 1:59am
Using glucose would be a way to add sweetness without adding another dry ingredient. Because of the form, it would also be a way to add moistness, similar to using honey or molasses.

Not too sure if it's easier to digest, I doubt it though, I'll check on my computer at home if my notes have anything about that.
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post #15 of 23
12/18/07 at 3:31am
Oh, thanks. I thought it may be a more complex form of sugar.

If it's not for dietary reasons, I'd suggest trying these brownies before adding anything to make them more moist. They're pretty fudgy on their own.

I don't know if I mentioned it in the recipe, but if not, it's important to mention that the recipe is for a 12x17 inch pan.
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post #16 of 23
12/18/07 at 6:56am
A question for you professionals: I thought sugar should be regarded as a wet ingredient because it liquefies so easily. :confused: Please set me straight.
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post #17 of 23
12/18/07 at 9:52am
I thought it was a wet ingredient, also!

I left work one day after having asked one of the woman who works for me to make up a half dozen dry mixes for muffins. My recipes are divided up into 2 sections- cream wet with a list of ing following, combine dry with a list of ing following. The directions are understood....at least by me. The next morning, I threw together a dozen muffins. They were a total flop and tasted horrible. Turns out, she added the sugar to the dry ingredients and when I put the recipe together, I creamed more sugar with the butter and eggs.

I'm not even sure I can use the mixes she made up. Will they turn out right if the sugar isn't creamed with the butter but is added later with the dry? I just hate to waste the butter, eggs, and time to experiment....
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post #18 of 23
12/18/07 at 12:14pm
the glucose i am pertaining to is the white thick liquid that is normally in a bottle itsl ike a gum paste to make icing also. its like alternative to sugar since its sweet also.
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post #19 of 23
12/18/07 at 1:21pm
Oops, you all caught me, ~brain fart!~ :p

I think I just meant that it would probably affect the texture of the batter less than if you added sugar, -something along those lines (gimme a break, I wrote that first thing when I got to work this morning, after a very frustrating bus ride!:p)

-Can't find any notes that I had on glucose right now, sorry.
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post #20 of 23
12/18/07 at 1:27pm
No problem, Andrea. I would be interested to hear about glucose, though. I've never heard anything about it.
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post #21 of 23
12/22/07 at 3:46pm
thanks lentil for the message
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post #22 of 23
12/26/07 at 12:27pm
Quick and easy and fudgy brownies. This is the best recipe I have found.

1/2 cup butter
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/8 tsp. salt

Melt butter and chocolate in mdium saucepan over very low heat. Stir together; remove from heat. Add sugar, eggs and vanilla; stir mixture well. Stir in flour and salt. Add 1 cup walnuts if desired.

Spread mixture in buttered 8x8 pan, Bake until set, about 40 minutes. Cool before cutting.
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post #23 of 23
1/15/08 at 12:45pm
My wife just bought a 15x21 "jelly roll" pan. I don't know what size that is called but I am looking for a brownie recipe for that size pan. Any suggestions?
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