Best-ever brownies
See this recipe step by step

Best-ever brownies

A foolproof recipe for squidgy cake squares, studded with extra chunks of chocolate for extra decadence

Difficulty and servings

Moderately easy

Cuts into 16 squares or 32 triangles

Preparation and cooking times

Total time

Ready in 1 hour, inc cooling (worth every minute)

Method

  1. Cut 185g unsalted butter into smallish cubes and tip into a medium bowl. Break 185g best dark chocolate into small pieces and drop into the bowl. Fill a small saucepan about a quarter full with hot water, then sit the bowl on top so it rests on the rim of the pan, not touching the water. Put over a low heat until the butter and chocolate have melted, stirring occasionally to mix them. Now remove the bowl from the pan. Alternatively, cover the bowl loosely with cling film and put in the microwave for 2 minutes on High. Leave the melted mixture to cool to room temperature.
  2. While you wait for the chocolate to cool, position a shelf in the middle of your oven and turn the oven on to fan 160C/conventional 180C/gas 4 (most ovens take 10-15 minutes to heat up). Using a shallow 20cm square tin, cut out a square of non-stick baking parchment to line the base. Now tip 85g plain flour and 40g cocoa powder into a sieve held over a medium bowl, and tap and shake the sieve so they run through together and you get rid of any lumps.
  3. With a large sharp knife, chop 50g white chocolate and 50g milk chocolate into chunks on a board. The slabs of chocolate will be quite hard, so the safest way to do this is to hold the knife over the chocolate and press the tip down on the board, then bring the rest of the blade down across the chocolate. Keep on doing this, moving the knife across the chocolate to chop it into pieces, then turn the board round 90 degrees and again work across the chocolate so you end up with rough squares.
  4. Break 3 large eggs into a large bowl and tip in 275g golden caster sugar. With an electric mixer on maximum speed, whisk the eggs and sugar until they look thick and creamy, like a milk shake. This can take 3-8 minutes, depending on how powerful your mixer is, so don't lose heart. You'll know it's ready when the mixture becomes really pale and about double its original volume. Another check is to turn off the mixer, lift out the beaters and wiggle them from side to side. If the mixture that runs off the beaters leaves a trail on the surface of the mixture in the bowl for a second or two, you're there.
  5. Pour the cooled chocolate mixture over the eggy mousse, then gently fold together with a rubber spatula. Plunge the spatula in at one side, take it underneath and bring it up the opposite side and in again at the middle. Continue going under and over in a figure of eight, moving the bowl round after each folding so you can get at it from all sides, until the two mixtures are one and the colour is a mottled dark brown. The idea is to marry them without knocking out the air, so be as gentle and slow as you like - you don't want to undo all the work you did in step 4.
  6. Hold the sieve over the bowl of eggy chocolate mixture and resift the cocoa and flour mixture, shaking the sieve from side to side, to cover the top evenly. Gently fold in this powder using the same figure of eight action as before. The mixture will look dry and dusty at first, and a bit unpromising, but if you keep going very gently and patiently, it will end up looking gungy and fudgy. Stop just before you feel you should, as you don't want to overdo this mixing. Finally, stir in the white and milk chocolate chunks until they're dotted throughout. Now your mixing is done and the oven can take over.
  7. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin, scraping every bit out of the bowl with the spatula. Gently ease the mixture into the corners of the tin and paddle the spatula from side to side across the top to level it. Put in the oven and set your timer for 25 minutes. When the buzzer goes, open the oven, pull the shelf out a bit and gently shake the tin. If the brownie wobbles in the middle, it's not quite done, so slide it back in and bake for another 5 minutes until the top has a shiny, papery crust and the sides are just beginning to come away from the tin. Take out of the oven.
  8. Leave the whole thing in the tin until completely cold, then, if you're using the brownie tin, lift up the protruding rim slightly and slide the uncut brownie out on its base. If you're using a normal tin, lift out the brownie with the foil. Cut into quarters, then cut each quarter into four squares and finally into triangles. These brownies are so addictive you'll want to make a second batch before the first is finished, but if you want to make some to hide away for a special occasion, it's useful to know that they'll keep in an airtight container for a good two weeks and in the freezer for up to a month.
Try

Not quite what you're looking for?

Try our lower fat option, Ultimate makeover: Chocolate brownies, or other popular brownie recipes, Fudgy coconut brownies or Marbled brownies.

Per triangle

144 kcalories, protein 2g, carbohydrate 17g, fat 8 g, saturated fat 5g, fibre 0.5g, sugar 14g, salt 0.06 g

Recipe from Good Food magazine, May 2003.

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Latest comments and suggestions

Results 21-40

  • Binder photo Sian's faves

    25 February 2008

    Sian's faves rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Oh my goodness, yes! The best recipe for brownies that I have tried so far. The thing that stands out the most for me was the absolutely perfect texture- crispy shell, fudgy centre that manages to be light at the same time. I used 70% Lindt chocolate for mine- they were very rich, so I think cutting them into 32 triangles is probably the best option!

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  • Binder photo abigailsoph

    02 March 2008

    abigailsoph commented on this recipe

    i've been making these since they appeared in the mag in may 2003 and they are the best ever. i manage to do it all in one bowl - ie do the eggs and sugar in a large bowl then add the rest. always find the baking time a bit fiddly; i tend to leave the chunks out - milk or dark chocolate goes all runny and i tend to burn white chocolate

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  • Binder photo sarah

    02 March 2008

    sarah rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    These were fantastic. Very rich, not sickly. Soft and light, not stodgy. I'll make them again, with chopped pistachio nuts next time I think! Oh, and they keep very well. Mine lasted a fortnight!

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  • Binder photo helen_metson

    08 March 2008

    helen_metson commented on this recipe

    This is a superb recipe, I use gluten free flour and it works fine. My 2 children, who are coeliac love them.

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  • Binder photo foodgeek

    13 March 2008

    foodgeek rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    These really are worth the effort! I've made them quite a number of times now and they always go down a storm! I make cakes to take to work and I am always being asked to make these again and again. I always use all dark chocolate instead of milk and white chocolate - just a personal preference thing.

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  • Binder photo littlemisshappy145

    14 March 2008

    littlemisshappy145 rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    These were delicious! At first i thought that i had under cooked them as the centre was quite gooey, but once completely cooled, they were less gooey. These were absolutely fabulous, and wern't in the tin for long! The white chocolate chunks were divine (Milky Bar), and worked really well. This recipe is going to be used again and again! SUPERB!!

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  • Binder photo elliott

    19 March 2008

    elliott rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Best brownies ever - just as promised! best eaten still a bit warm when the chocolate chunks are still a bit melted - delicious!!!

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  • Binder photo Km293

    14 April 2008

    Km293 rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Scrummy! Left them in the oven a little longer than recommended so the brownies has a slightly firmer texture.

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  • Binder photo Joy Rowell

    24 April 2008

    Joy Rowell commented on this recipe

    Made these on Monday thought they tasted gorgeous but I have never eaten brownies before so was unsure of what to expect. But hey! Crunchy, then soft, then creamy, then explosion of Green and Black White chocolate as well ! I thought I had died and gone to heaven. I will definately be making these again.

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  • Binder photo curly_kirsty

    01 May 2008

    curly_kirsty commented on this recipe

    Bit of a hassle to make, particularly if you dont own an electric whisk and are using a very temperamental oven! And lots of washing up! But well worth it, and went down a storm at my house. i used Lindt 70% cocoa chocolate, which was complimented beautifully by the sweetness of the chunks. Fantastic!

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  • Binder photo Kimbob

    09 May 2008

    Kimbob rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Every time I make these they are all eaten within a couple of hours - gorgeous!

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  • Binder photo Imanuelle

    15 May 2008

    Imanuelle commented on this recipe

    I loved the hvit chocolate - Very, very, very delicious.

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  • Binder photo sis

    16 May 2008

    sis commented on this recipe

    hi just made the brownies ,they seemed a bit wet when i tested them,so i cooked them for 10 mins more and then ,they split in the middle .help what did i do wrong they taste great .do you think my pan was to small? a 8 inch tin

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  • Binder photo Alissa

    19 May 2008

    Alissa commented on this recipe

    Anyone tried making these in electric oven?? I always find baking cakes so hard in it because it always takes longer and then it's not quite cooked inside but gets very dry on the outside? Let me know if you have and how long you left and whether you have any other general helpful hints to baking cakes in electric oven with no fan!

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  • Binder photo maddieson

    19 May 2008

    maddieson commented on this recipe

    Better than sex!

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  • Binder photo Ed

    21 May 2008

    Ed rated and commented on this recipe

    3 stars

    I'm afraid I have to disagree with everyone else - for my taste, these are not the best-ever brownies. OK, but not great. The main problem is the texture, which isn't dense and moist like a brownie should be - I found these too light and too dry (though I did use pecans rather than the chocolate chunks). This is down to the method of whisking the eggs. I'm going back to my usual recipe...

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  • Binder photo Lornatrev

    22 May 2008

    Lornatrev rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    These are fantastic - I have been asked to make more already!!! Good for all the family - the kids love them in their lunch boxes and great with vanilla ice cream as a pudding! Thanks for the recipe! Will be making again very soon!

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  • Binder photo Gillian

    23 May 2008

    Gillian rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Sooooo good! These did not last long at all as my work colleagues scoffed them in minutes and requested that I bring in more the next day. This is now my definitive brownie recipe. (They did need just over the 30mins in the oven though as others have mentioned.)

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  • Binder photo dottymoo

    25 May 2008

    dottymoo rated this recipe

    5 stars

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  • Binder photo clairew

    28 May 2008

    clairew commented on this recipe

    Very Very tasty brownies. One tip though, make sure you do actually leave them to cool before cutting. In my haste to eat them I tried cutting them whilst they were still warm but it turned a bit crumbly. Definitly going to make these again!

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Difficulty and servings

Moderately easy

Cuts into 16 squares or 32 triangles

Preparation and cooking times

Total time

Ready in 1 hour, inc cooling (worth every minute)

Chocoholics' dream

Ingredients

  • 185g unsalted butter
  • 185g best dark chocolate
  • 85g plain flour
  • 40g cocoa powder
  • 50g white chocolate
  • 50g milk chocolate
  • 3 large eggs
  • 275g golden caster sugar
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Per triangle

144 kcalories, protein 2g, carbohydrate 17g, fat 8 g, saturated fat 5g, fibre 0.5g, sugar 14g, salt 0.06 g

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