There are, by my count, at least seven levels of fried chicken. The worst of them is good; the best, which I waited forty-four years to find, led to what can only be called an out-of-body experience. Let’s start at …
Ways to Make Brownies Taste Better
Whether your brownies always seem to come out way too dry or they're too tough to even chew, you've got a major brownie problem. If you're tired of making less than stellar brownies, brush up on a few baking tips to improve them. By tweaking your ingredients, the way you prepare them and how you bake the brownies, you could end up having the best brownies on the block. Add this to my Recipe Box.
Other People Are Reading
-
Better Ingredients
-
The most important ingredient to consider when making brownies is the chocolate. The higher the quality of chocolate and cocoa powder you use, the better tasting the brownie will be. Specialty baking stores will typically have higher-quality baking chocolate than your regularly grocery store. Use full-fat butter, never margarine or another butter substitute. The brownies will taste better and have a smoother texture.
Preparing the Batter
-
When making brownies that call for melted chocolate, combine the melted chocolate and butter together before adding it to the batter for a smooth batter with no grains or lumps. Melt the butter first, then stir in chocolate chunks little by little so that they melt from the warm butter. If you're using cocoa powder, use a sifter to sift the powder into the flour to avoid clumps of cocoa powder in a baked brownie. Don't overmix the batter or the brownies will be too tough.
-
The Brownie Pan
-
The brownie-pan size is essential to baking brownies, because it affects how the brownie will taste and what it will look like. If you use a pan that is too large, the brownies will be thin and cookie-like. Use one that is too small and you may end up with overly dense brownies that are not finished in the middle. Pastry chef Marcy Goldman recommends using a 7- by 11-inch aluminum pan for the average brownie recipe. Avoid using dark-colored pans, as they can cause overbrowning more quickly. Stick with plain aluminum pans for best results.
The Baking Process
-
Place the brownie pan in the center of the oven for the most even cooking. Avoid overbrowning by lining the bottom and sides of the brownie pan with parchment or waxed paper before baking. This will prevent the bottom from cooking before the top is finished. Check the brownies at the minimum time the recipe calls for. For a more cake-like brownie, a toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean. For fudge brownies, some, but not a lot of moist crumbs should be sticking to the toothpick. Remove the brownies a few minutes before they are done, because they will continue to cook slightly in the hot pan.
-
References
Resources
- Photo Credit ITStock Free/Polka Dot/Getty Images
