How Will This Article Help You Make The Best Ina Garten Brownies?
As easy as brownie recipes are, things can go wrong.
For anyone who might benefit from more than just a list of ingredients and instructions, this post will give you:
Top 5 brownie making tipsA short instruction video showing all the steps, without the fluffFull list of ingredients & instructions
My tips aren’t just a repeat of the instructions.
They will only take a minute to scroll through and will make sure you know what to look out for.
My instruction video covers the entire process to make Ina Garten’s Outrageous Brownies.
In 2 minutes you will see what each step looks like.
It also lists the ingredients and directions for each step.
If you want you could follow along with the video to make your brownies – just pause the video as you go.
Top 5 Tips for The Perfect Brownies Every Time
They will apply to any brownie recipe, not just the Barefoot Contessa chocolate brownies recipe below.
Scroll through them in a minute and you will be ready for baking.
1. Carefully measure out the ingredients
More so than a normal cake, ingredient ratios are critical for the perfect brownies.
You need measured ingredients to achieve a perfect combination of rich, gooey, fudgy and chocolatey chocolate brownies.
I recommend you use scales and accurate measuring cups, etc especially for the butter, sugar, flour, chocolate and baking powder.
If you add too much flour for example you can end up with something too dry or too fluffy & cake like.
I always measure flour carefully when I make brownies.
2. Don’t overheat the butter and chocolate
Combine the butter and chocolate in a bowl over simmering water.
The bowl should NOT be touching the water – the water level should be below the bottom of the bowl.
DO NOT put the bowl directly on the heat source. Overheating can cause the chocolate to thicken and become unusable. You can also burn it which will ruin the smell and taste.
You want the steam to heat the bowl and melt the ingredients gently.
Stir the mixture continuously so everything gets heated evenly.
Once everything is melted, remove the bowl from the heat and set aside.
The mixture should resemble a smooth, velvety and shiny chocolate sauce.
3. Let the melted chocolate cool slightly before mixing with the eggs
This is important to avoid cooking the eggs.
You don’t want scrambled eggs in your brownie mix!
4. Don’t overwork the batter when adding the flour
Gradually add the flour mix to the cooled chocolate.
Stirring by hand, or on low speed, until just combined.
DO NOT overwork the batter.
Watch my video if you want to see what your mixed batter should look like.
Overworking the batter is like kneading bread dough.
Kneading bread dough strengthens the gluten network in the flour – this helps create a strong bread loaf.
Minimal mixing will ensure you end up with a moist, soft & gooey brownie.
5. Remove your bake from the oven before the brownie is completely set
To make sure your finished brownie is gooey & fudgy, you need to remove it from the oven before it is completely set.
Cooking for too long can result in a brownie that is too dry or cake like.
Look for these queues to remove your brownie from the oven:
A nice shiny crust on top
Brownie has risen and is slightly cracked around the edges of the pan
The middle of the brownie may still wobble a bit if you shake the pan
A toothpick inserted into the middle should come out moist and with a little chocolate on it
The brownie should be quite soft when first removed from the oven – don’t worry it will firm up as it cools.
Leave the brownie to cool in the pan before slicing.
The Bottom Line
There are literally thousands of brownie recipes online.
Lots of them will be great, many of them are not.
You don’t need to worry about this when you choose an Ina Garten brownies recipe.
Ina Garten brownies recipes workAND They are designed for home cooks like you and me.
Provided you follow some key tips, you can’t go wrong.
The full ingredients and directions listing is in the next section.
12 ounces of semisweet chocolate chips (or chocolate chunks) (to add later – see instructions step 5 )
6 large eggs
3 tbsp instant coffee granules
2 tbsp vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 cup flour (all purpose) (for the brownie batter)
1/4 cup flour (all purpose) (to add later – see instructions step 5)
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3 cups of chopped walnuts
Directions
Preheat oven to 350f. Butter and flour a large baking tray (12 x 16 x 1 inch).
In a medium bowl over simmering water, melt together the butter, 1 pound of chocolate chips and the unsweetened chocolate. Set aside and allow to cool slightly.
In a large bowl, stir together the eggs, coffee granules, vanilla and sugar. Add the melted chocolate mixture and stir to combine. Allow to cool to room temperature.
In a medium bowl, sift together 1 cup of flour, the baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the flour mixture to the cooled chocolate mixture, stirring until just combined.
In a medium bowl, combine the walnuts, 12 ounces of semisweet chocolate and 1/4 cup of flour. Mix until the walnut and chocolate is coated in the flour. Add this to the chocolate batter and stir to combine.
Pour the brownie mix into the baking tray and bake for 30-35 minutes. Refer to my tips above to avoid overbaking. Allow to cool thoroughly. Cut into 16 – 22 large squares.
I'm Barbara Hunt, the founder of WomenChefs.org. Being a mom of two, I understand the challenges of meal planning and the monotony it can bring.
That's why I created WomenChefs.org, a platform dedicated to showcasing the skills and delicious dishes crafted by amazing women. My goal is to provide a space where women can find delectable recipes that tantalize their taste buds and ignite their senses.
I hope you'll join me in exploring WomenChefs.org and discovering your next favorite recipe. Let's embrace culinary diversity and try something new together!
