Tips for Perfect Brownies!

Its a pleasure to sink your teeth in a perfect brownie. As I said earlier, it is one of the easy bakes but with these few tips its assured you get it right every time.

Types of Brownies:

Fudgy Brownies are so dense and moist. They have less flour and no chemical leavening at all. Melting the butter rather than creaming them gives a fudge texture. Unsweetened chocolate is used and either granulated sugar or brown sugar is used.
Cakey Brownies are really cake like. Cakey brownies have less butter, more flour and little chemical leavening like baking powder to give that lighter softer texture. Instead of melting the butter with chocolate, here the butter is creamed with the sugar to incorporate some air causing the brownie to raise higher.
Chewy Brownies gets their texture from extra eggs or combination of different chocolates. Unsweetened chocolate contains higher starches creating a stiffer texture. Semi Sweet chocolate gives smooth texture. When they are used together with cocoa powder gives a rich satisfying chewy texture.
Blondies are butterscotch bars made with butter, brown sugar, eggs and nuts but no chocolate. Blondies have a cake like texture.

Tips for Brownie Baking:

Line the baking pan with parchment paper or with foil so that there is no bits stuck to the bottom.
Use a proper pan. If the pan is larger than required, the brownie will turn out thin and dry.
Don't over-mix the batter. Mix just till everything is combined and fold in the flour with a wooden flour not stand mixer or hand mixer. If over mixed they will become tough.
Less flour gives dense fudge texture and more flour gives cakey brownies.
To ensure your brownie is cooked, a toothpick inserted in the center should come out with wet crumbs not wet batter. If it comes out clean then its overcooked.
Make the brownie one day before, so that they get time to firm up resulting less crumbly brownie.
Make sure the brownie is completely cooled down before you cut. It will be very soft and fragile when warm, so if you cut it while warm they will crumble and break.
For that perfect squares, use a serrated knife and gently saw through the crust of the brownie. Then push straight down to cut all the way through.
For extra perfection, clean the knife after each cut in warm water and use slightly wet.
It is hard to resist them as soon as they are out of oven but brownies are best the next day.
Cut brownies can be stored in an air tight container at room temperature for 1 or 2 days.
Uncut brownie can be wrapped in cling film or plastic wrap and kept for 4 days at room temperature or in freezer for up to 3 months.