i am quite a fan of brownies and i really hate the store-bought ones. but recently i've been baking not-so-perfect brownies...they end up usually too soft and mushy in the centre (it collapses after baking) with a dry and overcooked edge. what am i doing wrong...is it the size of my pan, or the ingredients, or the baking time? i try all sorts of recipes and they advice me to cook at low temp or take them out a few minutes earlier than stated time, but it still remains unevenly cooked once cooled. help!
Brownie disasters
- Thread starter arlienb
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marmalady
Executive Chef
The first thing I'd do is check your oven temp; sounds like it may be heating a little hot - which would cause the overdone edges and not-cooked middle, and the sinking.
Then, I'd be sure to follow the recipe - exactly - down to pan size, and ingredients, making sure you're measuring both liquid and dry ingredients correctly, using the size egg that's called for in the recipe.
Check out some of the great recipes by our members on here!
Then, I'd be sure to follow the recipe - exactly - down to pan size, and ingredients, making sure you're measuring both liquid and dry ingredients correctly, using the size egg that's called for in the recipe.
Check out some of the great recipes by our members on here!
marmalady said:
thanks! it does look like it's the oven temperature that's the problem...we are renting right now and the oven came with the house. once you pointed it out to me, my brownie disasters started happening right about the same time we moved in. i didn't realize this at first because my other recipes did well, it's only the brownies that suffered so i just thought i needed to find another foolproof recipe--thanks for pointing it out to me! is there anyway to resolve this without resorting to getting a new oven?
FryBoy
Washing Up
The best brownies I've every had are the "Brownies Cockaigne" from the 1975 edition of Joy of Cooking @ page 701.
Although the recipe first appeared in the 1931 edition of Joy, it was changed in the 1997 edition (as were many of the book's classic recipes), with minor adjustments to the ingredients and supposedly simpler instructions. I find that the earlier version produces better results.
Although the recipe first appeared in the 1931 edition of Joy, it was changed in the 1997 edition (as were many of the book's classic recipes), with minor adjustments to the ingredients and supposedly simpler instructions. I find that the earlier version produces better results.
so is the joy of cooking cookbook really worth buying? what's your personal opinion? i just have SOOO many cookbooks already, i'm still having a think if i need to add this to my present hoard. there is a joy of baking website and there are lots of great recipes there too! 
ChefJune
Master Chef
Arlienb... Brownies are among the most foolproof of recipes, in my experience. I've been baking them for more than 50 years! Feastivals makes 28 different flavors -- all chocolate...
I don't think anyone can give you real help without your posting the recipe for us to see what might be wrong.
Are you looking for a cake-type brownie, or the fudgy kind?
I don't think anyone can give you real help without your posting the recipe for us to see what might be wrong.
Are you looking for a cake-type brownie, or the fudgy kind?
FryBoy
Washing Up
The Joy of Cooking
That's a difficult question to answer. I collect cookbooks, so for me there are considerations other than the quality of the recipes in a book, namely the collectibility, which has to do with rarity, historical significance, etc. I have a copy of the 1936 edition of The Joy of Cooking, a 1943 with a dust jacket, the 1975, and the 1997, all in excellent condition. I want an original 1931 -- but that's extremely rare (only 3000 copies were printed) and now runs about $1500 in good condition.
Joy is a good basic cookbook with a lot of good advice and clear instructions on thousands of dishes, from simple to complex. There are a lot of good cookbooks that can make similar claims, but many people think Joy is the best in this regard. In short, it's a kitchen bible for many cooks.
Personally, however, I much prefer the older versions to the current edition. You might want to look on eBay for an older edition -- there are always several available, and you should be able to find a nice clean copy for under $10.
Here are a couple of sites with information about the various editions:
http://www.cookbkjj.com/college/joy.htm
http://www.simonsays.com/content/feature.cfm?sid=43&feature_id=386
arlienb said:
That's a difficult question to answer. I collect cookbooks, so for me there are considerations other than the quality of the recipes in a book, namely the collectibility, which has to do with rarity, historical significance, etc. I have a copy of the 1936 edition of The Joy of Cooking, a 1943 with a dust jacket, the 1975, and the 1997, all in excellent condition. I want an original 1931 -- but that's extremely rare (only 3000 copies were printed) and now runs about $1500 in good condition.
Joy is a good basic cookbook with a lot of good advice and clear instructions on thousands of dishes, from simple to complex. There are a lot of good cookbooks that can make similar claims, but many people think Joy is the best in this regard. In short, it's a kitchen bible for many cooks.
Personally, however, I much prefer the older versions to the current edition. You might want to look on eBay for an older edition -- there are always several available, and you should be able to find a nice clean copy for under $10.
Here are a couple of sites with information about the various editions:
http://www.cookbkjj.com/college/joy.htm
http://www.simonsays.com/content/feature.cfm?sid=43&feature_id=386
Last edited:
licia
Executive Chef
I found the recipe in my 1974 version, page 389. It looks really good and I will definitely try it soon. No baking today. Tomorrow is gs's birthday. He will be 7 and we will have a Sponge Bob ice cream cake - chocolate cake, chocolate ice cream, with reese cups. I bought another dessert just in case the cake is too intense for some of us.
FryBoy
Washing Up
licia said:
Do you mean the 1964 edition? I think that was the edition before the 1975, although there may have been several printings of it.
I'm pretty sure the recipe in the 1964 (or 1974) edition must be the same as in the 1975, because it's the same in the 1936 (although it's called simply "Brownies I -- Fudge Squares" in that edition).
ChefJune said:
i prefer fudgy...i have both cake and fudgy recipes, and ALL of them consistently sink in the middle--i don't want to overbake it because i hate hard dry brownies. that's why the oven temperature factor seems to be the likely problem because of the uneven baking...as well as from the fact that i used those recipes in another oven before and they worked just fine. does this mean i have to get another oven?
i could try the other recipes suggested here too...
FryBoy
Washing Up
Sinking in the middle is not necessarily a sign that a baked item is messed up. Obviously it's a big problem if you're making a layer cake, but things that are supposed to be gooey in the middle, like fudgy brownies, don't always stay puffed up because, well, they're dense and gooey!
That said, if your regular recipe isn't turning out like it used to and you know you've made it correctly, it's probably due to the temperature, but it also could be that your leavening is no longer good. Baking powder loses strength after it's been opened for a long time. You might want to buy a new can.
That said, if your regular recipe isn't turning out like it used to and you know you've made it correctly, it's probably due to the temperature, but it also could be that your leavening is no longer good. Baking powder loses strength after it's been opened for a long time. You might want to buy a new can.
thanks fryboy...i haven't done any brownie baking recently because i don't like the disappointed feeling after...but i've recently opened a new can of b. powder so might just do that in a few days time, and will let you know...i will try that joy of cooking recipe you suggested.
FryBoy
Washing Up
Great! Don't frost them -- those brownies need nothing, except maybe a bowl of vanilla ice cream on the side.
licia
Executive Chef
My copy says Copyright 1931,1936................1964 - my copy printed May 1974. Recipe Brownies Cockaigne. I've never made the recipe, but it looks good. Certainly better than the one my gd made using EVOO. Her mother let her eat all of them she wanted - nobody else would eat them after a taste.
FryBoy
Washing Up
licia said:
That would be the 1964 edition.
OMG! Olive oil in brownies? She should have her spoon revoked!
ChefJune
Master Chef
Arlien, in my experience there should NOT be any baking powder in Brownies. That's the main difference between Brownies and cake.arlienb said:
Aurora
Senior Cook
FryBoy said:
Without seeing the recipe the only explanation for olive oil in brownies or cake is for the natural emulsifiers that are in olive oil. Most brownies have extra egg yokes and butter that has been whipped before mixing in the dry ingredients for emulsifiers. When the ration of sugar exceeds the flour in a baked product, the cake or brownies would fall apart without emulsifier ingredients.
ChefJune said:
that's what i've been doing in my more recent brownie attempts...NO baking powder...because as i said, i like it fudgy, but the middle just sinks...somebody did say something about the temperature of the oven but as it's not ours to replace, is there any other way to resolve this and still have perfect brownies?
marmalady
Executive Chef
Arlien, get an oven thermometer. Preheat your oven to whatever your recipe says - say, 350, and put your thermometer in the oven. Make sure the oven is really preheated! I usually let mine go 10-15 minutes beyond the time the oven 'beeps' to let me know it's 'at temp'.
Okay, now your oven is 'supposed' to be at 350 - but what is your oven thermometer saying? Maybe 370? That's 20 degrees higher than you want for your recipe - so, the next time, trying preheating your oven to 330 rather than 350, have your thermometer in the oven, and see if you can get that '350' that you need. The same conversely if your oven is reading a lower temp than you want - add on however many degrees you need.
Some ovens can be calibrated at home, but if you don't have the instructions, I'd not try to fool with it. The other option is to ask your landlord to have an appliance repairperson come in to do the calibration.
Okay, now your oven is 'supposed' to be at 350 - but what is your oven thermometer saying? Maybe 370? That's 20 degrees higher than you want for your recipe - so, the next time, trying preheating your oven to 330 rather than 350, have your thermometer in the oven, and see if you can get that '350' that you need. The same conversely if your oven is reading a lower temp than you want - add on however many degrees you need.
Some ovens can be calibrated at home, but if you don't have the instructions, I'd not try to fool with it. The other option is to ask your landlord to have an appliance repairperson come in to do the calibration.
