CLASSIC FUDGE BROWNIE FORMULA

Hello everyone,

My name is Joey and I am a pastry chef based in Manila, Philippines. I just want to share with you a really good formula for Classic Fudge Brownies. For years, I have been developing a formula for a brownie that doesn't just taste good, but also possesses excellent texture (dense, no air cells, chewy) with a delicately crisp top crust that just melts in the mouth. I also want my brownies to be rich with an intense chocolate flavor. It should also keep for days at room temperature (and weeks refrigerated). My inspiration was a brownie I tasted a few months ago from a US company called Fairytale Brownies. Their brownies are almost perfect. My only comment is that their brownies lack the strong chocolate flavor reminiscent of old-world brownies. I am a stickler for perfection, so after 47 trials, it all boiled down to the simplest, most basic formula.

I would appreciate feedback from anyone who would try this formula. Just follow it to the letter and you are guaranteed success.

CLASSIC FUDGE BROWNIE FORMULA:

Yield: Twenty 7.5-cm x 7.5-cm (3-in x 3-in) brownies

Ingredients:

ALL INGREDIENTS AT ROOM TEMP - 20 DEGREES C (68 DEGREES F) UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED

300 (10.58 oz) grams unsweetened chocolate (this formula was tested with Valrhona 100% cacao mass)

450 (15.87 oz) grams unsalted butter

450 (15.87 oz) grams whole eggs

900 (31.74 oz) grams superfine (caster) sugar

  15 (00.53 oz) grams pure vanilla extract

300 (10.58 oz) grams all-purpose flour, sifted

Procedure:

1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C (350 degrees F). Line one half-size sheet pan (46-cm x 33-cm x 2.5-cm / 18-in x 13-in x 1-in) with non-stick baking paper. Allow the paper to extend 2.5-cm (1-in) on each short side of the sheet pan. This will make removing the slab of brownies after cooling easier.

2. Melt together unsweetened chocolate and unsalted butter in a double boiler. Remove from heat and maintain temperature of chocolate / butter mixture at 30 degrees C (86 degrees F).

3. Meanwhile, combine whole eggs and superfine (caster) sugar in a 4.75-liter (5-quart) mixer bowl. Using the paddle attachment, beat on low speed (Speed 2 on a Kitchen Aid mixer / Speed 1 on a Hobart mixer) for 1 minute. Stop mixer and scrape down bowl.

4. Add chocolate / butter mixture. Beat on low speed for 1 minute. Stop mixer and scrape down bowl. Stir in pure vanilla extract.

5.  Add sifted flour. Beat on low speed 1 minute. Stop mixer and scrape down bowl.

6. Deposit the batter into prepared sheet pan. Bake in preheated oven 40 minutes. A wooden pick inserted in the center will come out with moist crumbs.

7. Cool to room temperature. Double-wrap slab of brownies in sheet pan with cling wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.

8. To unmold, loosen the slab of brownies from the sheet pan using a small sharp paring knife. Lift out the slab of brownies using the overhang of non-stick baking paper.

9. Using a long sharp chef's knife, trim off 1.25-cm (1/2-in) from each long side of the slab. Trim off 3.75-cm (1-1/2-in) from each short side of the slab. Cut the slab into twenty  7.5-cm x 7.5-cm (3-in x 3-in) brownies .

END OF PROCEDURE

Enjoy your brownies!!!

NOTE: The formula was developed using the metric system. The US equivalents are included for the convenience of American users.

Chef J

Hello,

I'm glad there are people out there who are like me....a die-hard brownie fan. I'll be posting formulas for brownie frostings and toppings soon, so stay tuned. If you decide to try the formula I posted, please let me know how it turns out so I can assist you in addressing problems you may encounter. After all, a formula, no matter how detailed, is still just a guideline to follow. Several factors affect the success or failure of any formula: types of equipment, brands and / or specification of ingredients, techniques, and so on.

Rest assured that the formula went through several tests in my kitchen as well as kitchens of homemakers and professionals alike. They all reported success stories. If and when I find the time, I'll be doing demos of the formulas I post on this forum on youtube.

Well, thank you for reading my post. My mission in life is to develop and share excellent formulas in baking and pastry.

Happy baking!!!

Chef J

Hi Panini,

Yes, the brownie formula I posted are incredibly fudgy and very dense. It took a while for me to perfect the formula and it went through several taste tests with different groups of people (housewives, children, professional chefs, bakeshop owners, local folks and foreigners). 90 % of the group claim these brownies are perfect. So, I am extremely happy to share the recipe with all brownie lovers across the planet.

Yes, I use Valrhona 100% pure cacao mass for the brownies. I switched from Callebaut because the Valrhona gave a more rounded and distinct chocolate flavor profile. I'll post photos of the brownies soon.

That's an interesting story about the German Chocolate Cake icing. I love German Chocolate Cake. Business is doing pretty well here in Manila. In addition to being the School Dean for a local culinary school called The Culinary Institute of Aristocrat, I was also recently appointed Philippine Chocolate Ambassador for a company called The Embassy of Chocolate which makes Belgian-style chocolates. It's a challenge to stay lean and trim with all the chocolates and pastries that surround me.

Do let me know if I can help you with anything, particularly recipes. I am currently writing my first cookbook. My objective is to share with the world recipes that are truly "to die for". I know what it feels like to search for the perfect recipe of your favorite product, going through cookbooks, the internet, personal recipes of friends and family, and only to be disappointed. So, I made it my life's mission to develop the formulas to a point where anyone who makes them (be they homemakers or professional chefs) would be assured of success.

It was nice communicating with you Panini.

Joey 

Hello gourmet4u,

I love cheesecakes! And I have, as you said, incr-EDIBLE cheesecake formulas to share. I'll be posting my tried and tested "to die for" cheesecake formula within the week so stay tuned. When you said (in US) did you mean in pounds and ounces?

Joey

Here is a photo of my Classic Fudge Brownies using the recipe above.