Brownie Help

[Mattchewone]

Hi,

I am having some issues with brownies! I started making brownies and taking them in to work a few months ago and people were loving them, but I was baking 2-3 times a week and thought there must be a better way.

So i invested in a large pan, 42cm x 30cm (ish) and since then I have had complete disaster! Everytime I bake I end up with it so soft that I cannot cut it even after it cooling in the pan over night. Where as before if I baked it and left it to cool over night by the morning it will have gone reasonably solid.

I think I may have messed up the recipe some how, as I lost the recipe I was using and wrote down what I thought it was lol but obviously its not. for the large pan I was using this recipe, 500g butter, 500g chocolate, 500g sugar, 6 eggs, 160g flour, 4 TBSP cocoa.

I am sure when I started to cook them at the start that the centre would be wobbly still and then it would stiffen up as it cooled, now im confused as I look online lots of people say it shouldnt be wobbly, so I cooked it for longer and now it just comes out like a goey mushy cake. Rather than a firm fudgy brownie.

Any help would be very much appreciated!
Matt

 

[taxlady]

That sounds like way too little flour.

Can you try to remember the recipe for how you made it in the smaller pan?

 

[LindaLou]

Baking is also a little tricky if you are doubling the recipe. You are always better off to make two pans instead of doubling.

 

[bakechef]

I never double a baking recipe, every time that I have, even if it didn't fail, it would be off.

The brownies that I make have very little flour as well. I find that they are perfect if I bake them to 180 degrees Fahrenheit, I use an instant read thermometer. I know it sounds silly, but I have undercooked and overcooked brownies too many times. This way they are nice and moist but not too gooey, but not dry and hard.

 

[Mattchewone]

Thanks, The smaller recipe was, 200g choc, 200g butter, 200g sugar, 65g flour, 3 eggs, 2 TBSP cocoa.

Surely you must be able to make it on larger scale? Its the same depth just in a larger pan, I adjusted the time to a bit longer in order to cater for the fact that its larger and will take longer to cook throughout. I thought cooking in a larger pan would be easier as eventually when I start my own company id like to have 2-3 of the large pans in the over at once so I could make lots rather than having to do lots of little ones.

Sorry what is an instant read thermometer?

 

[bakechef]

Thanks, The smaller recipe was, 200g choc, 200g butter, 200g sugar, 65g flour, 3 eggs, 2 TBSP cocoa.

Surely you must be able to make it on larger scale? Its the same depth just in a larger pan, I adjusted the time to a bit longer in order to cater for the fact that its larger and will take longer to cook throughout. I thought cooking in a larger pan would be easier as eventually when I start my own company id like to have 2-3 of the large pans in the over at once so I could make lots rather than having to do lots of little ones.

Sorry what is an instant read thermometer?

Here is the one I use. I also use it to cook meats as well.

Baking is chemistry, so some recipes can be very tricky to double. I would look for a recipe for brownies in a larger pan, before I would double. When I need more than an 8x8" pan of brownies, I use two pans, and make the batter one batch at a time, works for me, but more hassle. This method yields perfect brownies every time.

 

[Kayelle]

Every once in a while I read a thread like this, to remind me why I don't bake. I've heard for years that it's always risky to double a baking recipe, resulting in a total failure. Yet another baking mystery.

Best of luck to you!

 

[Mattchewone]

Thanks lol.

I am trying a new recipe today in a small pan and hopefully if all goes well I will try it in a larger pan later on or tomorrow and see how that goes lol. Hopefully it will go ok if I make sure I do everything correctly but who knows!

 

[Mattchewone]

I had a bit of success with the new recipe it's very tasty but I still feel its a bit too soft. I want it nice and soft and moist but it's a too soft, to the point where it's really awkward to pick it up without it breaking or you squash it lol.

The new recipe is 3 eggs, 5tbsp cocoa, 65g flour, 200g chocolate, 250g butter, 360g caster sugar and 1/2 tsp baking powder.

I baked it for a bit longer than the recipe required it said 25 minutes but the whole thing was like jelly so went for 5 mins more and the out side is better it's the middle that's the most squiddgy.

Any tips? Thanks!!

 

[Alix]

Here are two brownie recipes I make regularly. Brownies #2 is the favorite in our house. Its pretty close to your recipe. When I double the batch (and I do that often) I use 2 pans. Don't try to make a double batch in one single, larger pan...your cooking times will be too messed up and you will burn the edges and have goo for the middle.


http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f102/brownies-1-a-20310.html
http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f102/brownies-2-a-20311.html

 

[Mattchewone]

How would you say a brownie should look when cooked? How long should it take to cool down so you can cut?

I usually have to leave it overnight for it to be firm enough to cut.

 

[Alix]

That depends on the type of brownie you are making. If you are making a fudgy brownie (#1) you will see a lighter, glossy type of crust on the top and the inside will remain gooey. Overnight is about right to cut them nicely. If you are making a cakelike brownie, then the top will be dry all over, but not have a glossy crust. These will be more chewy than gooey and usually an hour is good to cut them. Mine never last long enough to have pretty cutting. We generally cut and chow down as soon as we can touch them without scorch marks on our flesh.

 

[Mattchewone]

My crust is quite flaky on top and isnt that glossy but it's usually slightly firm at the edges and gooey in the middle. Is that normal?

How can I get the middle to the same consistency as the edges which is slightly firmer so it can be picked up without making it fall apart.

The reason I ask is I need them to be firm enough to be cut and packed so I can sell them. At the minute I offer them un packed to friends at work as a kind gift. They love them but I'd like the middle a bit firmer so I can package them all up.

 

[Mattchewone]

Ive just found out I've been only adding 3 eggs not 4 not sure how that happened. What affect will this have had?

Also does it matter when you add the eggs as I tend to melt choc and butter whilst it's doing that I'll mix sugar eggs and cocoa. Then add the wet with the dry and then mix in flour, then pour and cook.

 

[Alix]

My crust is quite flaky on top and isnt that glossy but it's usually slightly firm at the edges and gooey in the middle. Is that normal?

This is normal.

How can I get the middle to the same consistency as the edges which is slightly firmer so it can be picked up without making it fall apart.

The reason I ask is I need them to be firm enough to be cut and packed so I can sell them. At the minute I offer them un packed to friends at work as a kind gift. They love them but I'd like the middle a bit firmer so I can package them all up.

Turn your oven down a touch (25 degrees?) and cook a tiny bit longer. The toothpick test has never failed me. Also, if you are packaging to sell them, consider cutting the outside edges off entirely so that you can have uniform brownies without the edges.

 

[bakechef]

This is the recipe that I use, less fudgy but still really moist. It does best in an 8X8" square pan. I have never doubled it.

Bangor Big Fat Fudge Brownies Recipe - Food.com - 398588

Here is what they look like baked.

I use a foil or parchment "sling" in my pan so that they can be lifted out and cut on a cutting board. I let them cool in the pan, then chill for at least an hour, pull them out of the pan with the sling, and use a big knife to cut into squares. Helps keep them pretty. Yes I do it this way every time because I'm a little nuts!

 

[Alix]

Ive just found out I've been only adding 3 eggs not 4 not sure how that happened. What affect will this have had?

Also does it matter when you add the eggs as I tend to melt choc and butter whilst it's doing that I'll mix sugar eggs and cocoa. Then add the wet with the dry and then mix in flour, then pour and cook.

Sorry, missed this bit. 3 eggs is fine. I often reduce the # of eggs I put in. It will just give you a slightly firmer texture. Not really even enough for most folks to notice.

Your method sounds a bit contradictory. You put the eggs in with the sugar and cocoa, but then say you add wet with dry. I'm confused.

To avoid chocolate scrambled eggs I have taught my daughters to make brownies this way:

Melt butter (and chocolate if using that recipe)
Put sugar, cocoa, baking powder and sugar in a bowl and stir til all dry ingredients are mixed.
Pour melted ingredients into dry ingredients and stir to incorporate.
Add beaten eggs, one at a time. Only add as many eggs as needed to reach desired consistency. (Usually 3 not 4 for a 13x9 inch pan)

Does that help?

 

[Mattchewone]

I'll try turning it down and cooking a bit longer. Our oven has a fan I've heard it can cook quicker than a normal oven.

Sorry this is how I mix it,

Melt butter and chocolate,
Whilst melting, mix sugar cocoa and eggs to get a thick goo, add melted chocolate and butter, mix then add flour until thick then add to pan.

I am currently using a silicone tray will this affect how it cooks? I place it on top of a flat baking tray and place into oven.

Would a metal pan cook better?

 

[Alix]

Never used silicone, sorry. I can't comment on that. I prefer my metal pans for brownies, but I'm old fashioned that way. I do the same as bakechef and use parchment to easily pull them out to cool and cut. Trying to hack them out of my pan always raises my BP.

 

[Mattchewone]

I'll try with a metal pan as that's what I was using originally with a parchment sling, just got frustrated when the paper would fold in and indent my brownie.

Also I found it quite greasy on the bottom of the brownies is this normal?