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 421-440

  • Binder photo anna2806

    14 April 2011

    anna2806 commented on this recipe

    Absolutely amazing, definitely the best brownies ever and super easy to make. Went down a treat with the girls at home and didn't even last a night! Will definitely be making these again!

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  • Binder photo anna2806

    20 April 2011

    anna2806 commented on this recipe

    Really easy to make and went down well with all the girls!

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  • Binder photo IndianaJo

    20 April 2011

    IndianaJo commented on this recipe

    YUM & even though they're not healthy at all, they're not as bad as many other recipes I've seen (saturated fat wise) Would always choose these for a chocolate indulgence :D Lovely soft gooey centre

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  • Binder photo GinaR

    21 April 2011

    GinaR rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    Absolutley lovely! Made them to take to work on my last day and they went down an absolute treat! Ummmm and yums from everyone! Only things i found is that i had to leave the mix in the oven for an extra 15-20 mins to get the right consistancy. The first batch didn't cook right through and were quite stodgy in the middle.

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  • Binder photo Ambam213

    22 April 2011

    Ambam213 rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Amazing! Used a mixture of plain and milk choc for the melted choc and a random amount of milk chocolate in the chunks. Also messed up the 'beat the sugar and eggs' stage a bit. And cooked in two batches in a loaf tin. But they came out deliciously moist ! I'm amazed!

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  • Binder photo Smurfee

    26 April 2011

    Smurfee rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Amazing. Mine needed 1hr 10mins in 20cm cake tin. I used 100g milk and 100g white chocolate for small chunks and found it perfect!

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  • Binder photo Monkfish

    26 April 2011

    Monkfish commented on this recipe

    I used this for my boyfriends birthday cake this weekend, and added Walnuts,Hazelnuts and brazil nuts too to give extra texture. It worked out brilliantly- certainly the best i have made so will definitely be using this recipe again- Thanks! x

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  • Binder photo Jaci

    03 May 2011

    Jaci commented on this recipe

    These Brownie's were Amazing with a total kick of yummy Chocolate, yum yum. Don't delay they will not let you down !!

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  • Binder photo Mandiemoo

    04 May 2011

    Mandiemoo commented on this recipe

    Wow!! These are very yummy, and very rich! So simple to make!

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  • Binder photo amdinel

    05 May 2011

    amdinel rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    These are divine! My search for the perfect brownie is over, thank goodness! Took over 30min to cook. Didn't use 100g white/milk choc coz I don't like choc chips and they were plenty chocolatey enough.

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  • Binder photo frolo743

    09 May 2011

    frolo743 commented on this recipe

    These are, indeed, the best brownies I have made. (& I've tried more than a few recipes in my quest!). I wonder if the length of the instructions may put people off trying them, though? Abridged version: 1. Melt butter & chocolate together. 2. In a separate bowl whisk eggs & sugar well. 3.Pour cooled chocolate into egg mixture, gently & whisk slightly. 4. Sift in flour & cocoa powder, whisk gently again. 5. Stir choc chunks/chips through. Bake. Enjoy.

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  • Binder photo Lee

    11 May 2011

    Lee commented on this recipe

    Hi, I attempted this recipe today and upon looking around it turns out my mixture was far too runny any ideas were i may have gone wrong as i followed the instructions to the letter. Thanks

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  • Binder photo PhoenixArabella

    14 May 2011

    PhoenixArabella rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    I've made this recipe many times now and it never fails. I always exchange the chocolate chips for chopped walnuts. My daughter absolutely raves about these brownies and always requests some when I go visit or she comes home, it really is a crowd pleaser and couldn't be simpler to make. The best by far. Thank you :)

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  • Binder photo Shopgirl

    19 May 2011

    Shopgirl commented on this recipe

    These brownies are the best I have ever tasted. No other shop-bought brownies can compare to these. I made the recipe in smaller quantities - using two thirds of each of the ingredients and using a loaf tin to bake them and they were perfect - I got about 12 pieces when I cut it up - by cutting one long line down the middle and then cutting across five times. Delicious!

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  • Binder photo Annabella Ferrari

    22 May 2011

    Annabella Ferrari rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    I've never made such amazing brownies in my entire life!! They're soft and gooey but not too much that they squelch in your hand!!! BBC Good Food needs a 6 star rating JUST FOR THESE BROWNIES!!!! =]

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  • Binder photo webbje

    24 May 2011

    webbje commented on this recipe

    @frolo743 Love the way you simplify things! @lee Did you let the chocolate cool down to room temp? I find that really helps bind the mixture. Gonna try this brownie recipe Wednesday for me and my husband and than for a bigger group this Saturday. I really looking forward to it after reading all your glorious comments!

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  • Binder photo Julie Anne

    25 May 2011

    Julie Anne rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    These genuinely are the best brownies I have made in a long time! If not ever! Soft, gooey and chocolatey without being too rich. Need to whip the eggs for a long time to get the right texture but it's well worth the effort!

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  • Binder photo littlemissdids

    28 May 2011

    littlemissdids rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    These are indeed the best brownies I have ever eaten!!! Pure indulgence. I loved every bite.

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  • Binder photo chickpeaalice

    31 May 2011

    chickpeaalice rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    ive made these brownies about 3 or 4 times now and EVERY time they have turned out great:) and im making them again tomorrow as my brother's friend wants some cuz he loves em!!! :) This is such a gr8 recipe!!!,,

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  • Binder photo Slaypay

    04 June 2011

    Slaypay rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    just made these and they smelt delicious, couldn't wait for them too cool down and had a slice! they are so tasty and definitely the best which i have ever tasted! will carry on using this recipe for a long time too come!

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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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