World's best Brownies?

[jword2001]

I am looking for a dark rich thick gooey,brownie recipe that also has a crisp crunchy crust,suggestions,if you would be so kind please?

[HeyImBack]

My go-to is Ina's outrageous brownies - I go back and forth between the "original" version (w/ choc. chips and nuts) and the oreo version. Yesterday I made the oreo version but I subbed TJ's candy cane jo jo's for the oreos. O M G fabulous. I brought them in to work today and everyone is loving the peppermint.

[glbtrtr]

The world's best brownies are the ones you can make ready to serve in under 10 minutes and have all the ingredients ready at any time, because you have not already eaten the bags of chocolate chips for snacks. Yeah, you too.

Here goes:

1. Melt one cube of butter in a round, flat microwave bowl, like an 8" french casserole dish
2. Stir in one cup sugar and 4-6 Tablespoons Hershey's Unsweetened Cocoa powder
3. Stir in one egg and one Tablespoon vanilla
4. Mix in whisked 3/4 cup flour + 1/4 teaspoon salt + 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
5. Fold in 1/2 cup chopped nuts - walnuts best

Microwave on high 6-8 minutes - may need a few test batches for your own microwave - top will still look a little wet. When this goes wrong and gets cooked too long, it does turn into a hocky puck.

Best to wait for these to cool down before chowing down, but these are even great right out of the oven (CAUTION-MICROWAVE SUGAR GETS VERY HOT BUT YOU ALREADY KNOW THIS)- or cool down, cut in wedges and lift from the bowl.

So good. So easy. So ready. File under world's easiest brownies.

[yayadave]

This sounds great, but I have a question. How much butter is a "cube"? Is it a "knob" or is it a stick?

[buttertart]

4 ounces, butter here comes in 4 wrapped quarter pounds in a package. Some people say "stick of", some say "cube of" for the same thing.

[yayadave]

With a name like BUTTERtart, I'll certainly take your word for it. Thanks.

[buttertart]

There is that aspect to it, yes. :)

[HillJ]

The pretzel topped brownies quickly became a huge hit around here.

http://www.heatherchristo.com/cooks/2...

Something about that salty and dense sweet just keeps on working.

[buttertart]

Memo to self: Never, ever, ever make these unless somewhere with lots of people to share them. Too good.

[iL Divo]

I like the denser the better

[buttertart]

Do you have a favorite recipe?

[iL Divo]

several actually but when I did the from scratch 2 different brownies for singing practice a few weeks ago, I didn't write down what I used.
I do know that one batch had chipotle chili powder added to it plus 2 strips crisped bacon crumbled very fine, that was the for sure favorite, so moist. Buttermilk, sour cream, butter, chocolate pudding with caramel chips, plus an entire small container of jimmies plus BOSCO.

the other one had everything else including French Vanilla pudding, 2 kinds of chips, coke and cocoa powder.

[NanH]

You can improve almost any generic brownie recipe, and box brownies, with the addition of a teaspoon of chipotle chili pepper. (The ground variety sold in the spice rack)

[Karl S]

For cocoa-based brownies (used dutch-processed, please), these are very fine:

http://events.nytimes.com/recipes/885...

[PAO]

Maida Heatter's Palm Beach brownies are just obscene. Thick. Gooey. Rich. Crispy, crunchy crust. Tons of sugar. Tons of chocolate. Tons of butter. Not much flour. Flavored with a little coffee and almond. I'm at work and don't have the recipe with me, but will try to remember to post later. They make a 13x9x2 inch pan and you have to cut them small.

[iL Divo]

PAO, please do post as I'm willing to try several of these on here, what can I loose, except a small waistline :(

[chowser]

Have you tried man catcher brownies? It's a thick fudge-y brownie, very different from the Supernatural ones which are more chewy. One small piece is enough for a chocolate fix. Supernatural brownies, to me, are the quintessential brownie. The man catcher ones are more like a cross between brownies and fudge. Those two are my main go-to recipes.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02

If you want a darker chocolate,more adult brownie that isn't as sweet, Chow's recipe is excellent. It calls for 1 tsp of brewed espresso but I use 1 tsp of powder.

http://www.chow.com/recipes/10451-cho...
/06/AR2007020600438.html

[iL Divo]

hi chowser, the washingpost isn't coming up on either computer I try...dang
I would love to try it. I'll try to google it and see what happens.........ok here it is I think
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/...

ok, I bit and made a batch of brownies........
didn't follow anything on here and you'll kick me from afar if I say what I did. here's why, I didn't have all called for ingredients so I improvised, so I used what I thought would work..

Had a box of double chocolate Pillsbury brownie mix.
figured if they didn't work I could and would chuck them.
opened up the box and did all that was called for in the 'structions'.
then with phone in hand, I went online and looked up a few random brownie recipes since not wanting to do anything from here cause out of too much stuff but knew I could wing it otherwise.
added to it, another egg more flour, vanilla, baking powder, a large box of jello instant chocolate pudding which contained caramel chips, dark unsweetened Canadian cocoa powder, cream cheese, heavy cream a bit of salt, and dark raspberry chocolate chips, powdered sugar, sour cream, Sprite and Bosco. put them in the pyrex and baked them.

I know you're all thinking what the hay............I can't quite tell you the flavor, it's absurdly delicious. I'm not kidding who would have attempted such a mixture, that'd be combining crazy ingredients from other recipes out there.

[chowser]

LOL but what happens if you want to recreate it? Sounds like you have the makings for a Brownie Doctor cookbook.

[iL Divo]

Exactly. Unfortunately for me, I often cook and bake with abandon and have no idea of what amounts I used to create what was so unique. Oh well Kay sa ra sa ra, whatever will be will be... I sound like Doris Day

[lilgi]

damnit chowser, now looking at the mancatcher recipe I'm going to have to try those too. The ccc cookies did enough damage to my waistline! Seriously though, a cocoa brownie would be great for DS's survival kit before he leaves the nest. Will try soon ;)

[iL Divo]

my sons best friends' birthday is tomorrow and he wants me to make brownies for him to take over to his house as his gift. understanding this kid, has the world's biggest crush on brownies, any and all kinds, it's in my nature to make one that is dabomdotcom for him. rich thick decadent chewy dark full of flavor etc. I'm thinking coco powder, dark chocolate bars, coffee in there somehow, cream cheese or cream in general, any ideas? I have a few hours before I have to hit the kitchen.

I'll read these all now before I walk away from puter cause I haven't yet, just found this thread googing best brownies in the world............

[buttertart]

Broken record here: Nick Malgieri's Supernatural Brownies are hands-down and going away the best I ever made (sorry kattyeyes).
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/6527...
You can tart them up as you wish.

[iL Divo]

ok Buttertart, you scolded me into submission. Two pans in the oven baking as we speak.
I also made 4 little sized ones for us to try but no room in oven until these 2 are done.
2 mins left

[buttertart]

Wasn't trying to scold...but you did the right thing! Be sure to let them cool completely/rest as noted in the recipe, they aren't very good otherwise.

[AmandaCA]

I just found this thread too, now I have like 5 recipes I'll have to try and figure out which one is the best. Although I guess having the World's Best 5 Brownies is ok too. Let me know how they turn out iL Divo... I'm curious.

[chowser]

I have an entire section of "favorite" brownies in my recipe note book--even after finding ones I like, I keep trying more. They're all good.

[iL Divo]

When son and I allowed ourselves to delve into our mini bites that I'd made us in a Madaleine pan his got the smallest scoop of vanilla ice cream. I forwent that and cut my Madaleine in half, literally one bite. Still warm, my thought was amazing. Son said they were good but lacked that brownie "something". < thought they should be a little sweeter. I let them cool (foil covered) and after dinner he took them to birthday boy. I am waiting for him to wake up so I can hear his friends response. He said by nights end they'd be devoured. It's still early, we'll see.

[buttertart]

They really are much better after resting. Hope they suited all!

[iL Divo]

Son up and off to work today, got home late last night after spending time in his friends work shop. The birthday boys' birthday is actually today. Son gave him his baking sheet with brownies inside, phone rang, another guy friend of both of theirs, didn't even peek into the pan, and off they went. Son said "expect a call from Barley today mom, when he dives into that pan, you'll get a all." I asked if he knew I made them, "oh yeah mom!" Can't wait for the phone to ring, home all day, can't work for a month, so sure not to miss the call.

Oh buttertart, my husband had one of the little guys I made out of the madeleine pan for his dessert after of very Mexican faire. With a small scoop of vanilla ice cream, he enjoyed it and when I asked "well", he said "oh delicious, these are out of this world" and guess who doesn't like brownies.........so that a lone, was a huge statement.

[buttertart]

Hooray! So glad they worked out (so far) for you.

[iL Divo]

I wanna call him myself but don't want to seem too anxious..hahahah

[buttertart]

I know the feeling. You like it, right? Right???

[iL Divo]

got a couple of texts last night. Wow, what compliments is all I can say. our son says of his BFF, "he is almost too honest in his opinions which gets him into trouble sometimes". so I think I got the truth, 3 with his coffee yesterday morning and two later on mid day snack as break from work .....thanks again.
I am pleased...............

[buttertart]

That's great and it's exactly the reaction I expected. When I bring them to work they're gone within an hour. Really big with young guys especially.

[iL Divo]

I haven't heard from the other recipient who's family got the other baking pan of brownies. but then I didn't leave a note with who I am when I put them on their doorstep. family of 6 [4 kids] I was going to make them a couple batches of cookies anyway so instead, they got the brownies. I hope they did enjoy, I am a bit sure they probably know it was from me..............sneaky here... with rewards being smiles from little ones............

[iL Divo]

after church this morning, I went to thank the pastor for his service. he had the cutest smile on his way and said, "It was you, you are the one that left that delectable batch of brownies on our door step. I think I forgot there were other family members in the house." I told him I'd made a couple of baby ones for my son and I to taste just to make sure I'd not forgotten the sugar. he told me he'd never had such brownies in his life and that believe him, I'd forgotten nothing. I am pleased............

[buttertart]

Hooray!

[ccbweb]

I use a modified version of Alton Brown's recipes...I use a bit more brown sugar, a bit less white (and a bit less overall), I use unsweetened, non-dutch processed cocoa powder, and I use a metal cake pan.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recip...

[katydid13]

Maybe I'm crazy, but I like my brownies to be not only rich & gooey but also ever-so-slightly bittersweet. People have made the Ghirardelli recipe for me, and I thought it was too one-dimensional, too sweet. I used to make the recipe on back of Baker's Unsweetened Chocolate religiously, but I always substituted unsweetened applesauce for 1/2 of the butter called for, and I always shaved a little off the sugar. When I took them to parties people always raved about them. Lately I have come to love the brownies developed by the crazy kids at Cook's Illustrated for their "Best Light Recipe" cookbook. (However, I have doubled their original recipe, as the original yields a depressingly thin brownie!) Don't be put off by the "light" designation -- these are super-rich. If you're very sensitive to caffeine, you might want to substitute instant decaf coffee for the instant espresso; even the little bit called for here leaves me feeling wired if I eat one of these too late at night!

1 c. (5 oz.) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 t. baking powder
4 T. Dutch-processed cocoa powder
2 T. warm water
2 T. vanilla extract
1 t. instant espresso powder
4 T. unsalted butter
6 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped (*avoid using chips, as they have more additives)
1 c. (7 oz.) sugar
1/4 t. salt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

Adjust oven rack to middle position & heat oven to 350. Line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, then lightly coat with cooking spray. Whisk flour and b. powder together in small bowl; set aside. In separate bowl, whisk cocoa, water, vanilla & espresso powder together; set aside. Melt chocolate and butter together in microwave or in double-boiler; whisk until smooth, then whisk in sugar & salt thoroughly. Whisk in cocoa mixture, then whisk in egg. Stir in flour mixture until just incorporated; do not overmix. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake till toothpick inserted in middle comes out with a few moist crumbs clinging to it, 25-35 min. (Rotate pan halfway thru.) Remove from oven & cool completely on wire rack, about 1 hr. Lift brownies out of pan & cut to serve.

[FarmSchooler]

What we call "Gran-gran's Brownies" (my grandmother; 1917-1993) are super simple, but yummy.

2/3 butter
1/2 c cocoa powder
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 c sugar
1/2 c water
3 eggs
1 1/2 c flour
1/4 tsp salt

Bake at 350 for 25 - 30 minutes.

Trick to the best brownies is to mix the batter only enough to combine all the ingredients. Butter is in smal chunks. What I glob into my greased & cocoa floured brownie pan "almost" looks unmixed.

Whether they are the WORLDS best or not is irrelevant, they make my kitchen smell like my grandmas. They are HER recipe. A friend reported making them with equal measures of sucanat and whole wheat pastry flour. She loves the revised recipe. Im sure I will eat them at her house one day. For now, I just plan on lots of good raw milk and probiotics the week I make these - lol.

[jword2001]

I know the feeling, my grandmothers bring back a flood of memories when i make them.,I will try these, I just made the epicurious cocoa brownies today...wonderful stuff!

[Barbarainnc]

jword2001, would you post Mrs. Triche's yeast rolls in the Home Cooking section. I saw your posts about them. Thanks so much.

[jword2001]

I apologize, but i believe you mistake me for someone else, I cannot recall ever hearing of "Mrs. Triche's yeast rolls", I do have a yeast roll recipe that was my grandmothers, can you jogg my memory?

[yayadave]

Could you be looking for "jfood"?

[yayadave]

Ah Ha!! I'll bet this is the post you are referring to.

22. Oh, how cafeteria food varies across the country. My favorite cafeteria meal through 13 years of public school was lasagna, second favorite was chicken gumbo, with the Monday-standard red beans, rice, and cornbread a close competitor. And our high school cafeteria made killer scratch yeast rolls (I still use Mrs. Triche's recipe). We never had cupcakes that I can remember, but we did have the much-loved "no-bake" cookie: cook together butter, sugar, and cocoa until bubbly, add peanut butter, stir in quick oats & chopped peanuts. Cool slightly in the pot, then spoon out onto waxed paper.
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Hungry Celeste May 31, 2007 12:16PM

[Gary Soup]

It being the 40th Anniversary of the Summer of Love, let me nominate Alice B. Toklas Brownies, but remember, "Obtaining the canibus may present certain difficulties...."

http://www.straightdope.com/classics/...

[EverydayMommy]

I'm going to second Ina Garten's recipe (The Barefoot Contessa). These are the most decadent brownies I've ever made. http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recip...

[Athena]

I put off making Nigella's Lawson's brownies for a long time, I just didn't think a non-American could really make them. I was so wrong. I have forsaken Katherine Hepburn's brownies for these:

http://lick-the-spoon.blogspot.com/20...

I will definitely try tossing them in the fridge for a while before baking.

[othervoice]

I'm gonna reserve my brownie recipe for another time. I use a packaged mix and modify it.

My real point I want to make is whether or not people have the same reaction using metal pans vs. glass. I seem to have much better luck with a 9x13 glass pan. My brownies always come out crunchy on the top and moist and gooey in the middle.

[AMFM]

i've made several variations on boxed too. usually start with the ghiradelli and people rave. funny.
but i feel the opposite about pans. i always use metal and don't like them in glass. they get cakier (i think) in glass and i like them chewy and fudgy. i'm going to have to try some of the tips for a crispy top though.

[kpzoo]

I always use a glass pan and they are always chewy, moist & delicious, with crispy top. I think the consistency may have more to do with a low oven temperature and the proportion of wet to dry ingredients, but that's just my take.

[chowser]

"Best" is so subjective when it comes to brownies (actually when it comes to most foods) since some people like chewy, some cakey, some fudgey, etc. I like the man-catcher brownies recipe from the Washington Post that I posted here a while back--thick, cakier, nice shiny top. The supernatural ones posted above are good, too, more like a chocolate blondie. For a more "adult" tasting brownie, super rich, dark chocolate one, I like the Chow recipe:

http://www.chow.com/recipes/10451

It's intense chocolatey flavor and I only can eat a small piece. This sounds more like what you might be looking for. I love the suggestion of refrigerating it first for the crisp crunchy crust--I'll try that next time. Thanks!

[kpzoo]

The "Katharine Hepburn's Brownies" recipe from the late Laurie Colwin's "More Home Cooking" - reprinted here:

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/rec...

Unbelievably rich and dense with a crisp crust. Always gets raves and doubles perfectly.

[madcow]

These are my favorite too. The recipe is also printe the New York Cookbook by Molly O'Neil.

[missmar79]

made these this weekend- the best I ahve ever made in my life!! love them!
and sooooo easy too!

[kpzoo]

Glad you liked them! Lately I've been adding some milk chocolate/white chocolate swirly chips to take them to the next level - people adore them.

[scharffenberger]

I like the recipe on the back of the King Arthur Flour package. It is called Worlds Best Brownies. I did nt find it on their website, However I found one very similar, tho I use a 9 x 13 pan,, 3 eggs, no icing and bake it for about 30 minutes. To get a crisp crust.
I agree with the cooks who tell you to chill the dough for an hour in the fridge, Also it always helps to chill brownies to cut them, but do serve them at room temperature.

Happy Baking!
http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/l...

[itryalot]

I found a box of triple chocolate brownie mix from Ghirardelli. My company could not even wait for me to cut them and ate them still warm out of the pan with some fresh, unsweetened whipped cream and strawberries on the side. They were delectable. Now, if I can just remember where I got them. There are about 10 of us on the lookout for them.

[AMFM]

aren't those the ones at costco?

[jword2001]

yes, I've bought them there before,huge box, i forget how many packages in it, I've also bought them at Publix....about to go to Albertson's and see if they have them.Thank all of you for the replys, i will start trying some of these recipes next week, and post back.

[JerryMe]

Actually - I was just at Costco and checked out the Ghardelli's - there's six batches in that box and it was $8 something here. Good deal. I forwent them as I've got a few poxes in the pantry.

[coney with everything]

I agree the Ghirardellis are the absolute best mix! Costco usually does have them, but I've seen the normal size at Meijer (midwest chain).

[brownie]

I just made a pan of brownies just like that. Ok, this is gonna sound like sacrilege and, normally, i might say it is...but last night, I made my fiance brownies from the back of the Bakers chocolate carton. His mom makes this recipe and he loves it, so i was going to make it out of love, not b/c i think it's particularly fab. However, i didn't have everything I needed on hand, including having just 3 sq of chocolate, instead of the 4 the recipe calls for. Really, I prefer not to use the Baker's unsweetened b/c it's just not all that great, however, it didn't matter this time! So, i had to improvise and here's what I did:
3sq Bakers unsweetened choc melted with
1 stick unsalted butter
add:
1.5 eggs (this was weird--was going to use 2 eggs but one was partially frozen, so i ended up w/2 yolks and like 1.5 whites)
For the sugar: fill a 1 cup measurer with white sugar about 7/8 full, realize you're out of white sugar and then fill to the top with sugar in the raw. Worrying that it might not be sweet enough for his palate, add about 2tbs more sugar in the raw. (You don't have to think all these thoughts, nor run out of ingredients, but the Sugar in the Raw definitely adds something).
~1/2tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup white whole flour

I had to use the normal 8x8 or whatever size a standard square brownie pan is and I hoped it wouldn't spread out the full pan, but of course it did. So these were thin brownies, maybe like just an inch or so high. I baked them in a 350F oven til they were just getting that crackly look on the top. Took them out, let them cool for almost an hour (this was by mistake, got busy, had to run an errand), they were almost impossible to get out by the time i got home, but they came out more or less intact.
Super fudgy and not too-sweet, VERY chocolatey with the crackly top. Gave two to my parents who are chocolate snobs and mom asked if I'd used Valhrona or stolen some of her Callebaut and was shocked when I said it was just Bakers!

[Oh Robin]

Personally I love the recipe from the Baker's box. Always a hit with walnuts.

[coll]

Why sacrilege? They are the best brownie recipe in my book, although I like to upgrade to an imported chocolate. And maybe a dash of Kahlua if I have it around.

[LJS]

I make Ann Hodgeman's recipe from the "Beat This" Cookbook every Christmas...I truly do believe it can't be beaten. Here is a link (though I disagree with the changes the poster made, but I can't find the orig on line and it is way too hot here in Toronto to write it out-sigh....)
http://www.astray.com/recipes/?show=B...

[iL Divo]

couldn't find it in that link, they lists 1,072 recipes under the word brownies, so I found this is this it?
http://wondertime.coverleaf.com/wonde...

[Felixnot]

The recipe on the Ghiradelli Sweet Chocolate container is the best brownie recipe in the universe. Just made it last weekend...gone in 60 seconds...

[reubensandperrier]

If you're looking for a pre-made mix, try the Barefoot Contessa's mix. Deliciously fudgy and awesome.

If you'd like to just buy some, go for Moveable Feast's brownies from Geneva, IL. Yes, Oprah hocks them on her show, but they are incredibly delicious. My aunt lives in Geneva and I've had them fresh out of the oven, and dear god, they are divine. http://www.moveablefeastgeneva.com

[Mila]

I love, love, hands down, Ina Garten's Outrageous Brownies.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recip...
Make 1/2 recipe if not feeding a huge crowd.

[reubensandperrier]

Yesssss... if there's one thing Ina does well, it's fatty buttery anything.

[NAtiveNewYorker]

Any mix from Ghirardelli. If followed to a tee, they are fantastic.

(Don't forget to buy at least two thermometers for the inside of your oven to confirm your baking temperature.)

[jword2001]

Yes!, I agree, but what got me wanting something better were some brownies I had in Rochester area...unbelievable!, wish i could remember the name of the place.

[JerryMe]

I'm pretty partial to Ghirardelli's as well.

[mateo21]

Again... I'll voice here that almost anything involving chocolate will be better off having chocolate in it -- not just cocoa powder. Sorry. I've never had cocoa powder brownie that's better than any recipe that uses actual chocolate.

[williej33]

The Magic Brownies from Zingerman's deli in Ann Arbor are phenomenal. The recipe is at http://www.bhg.com/recipes/recipedeta...

[tweetie]

I think the secret to fudgy, dense brownies is less flour and carefully watching the bake time making sure that a toothpick comes out with bits clinging to it, not clean. I use 1/2 cup in my recipe and they're amazing, if I may say so myself, made in the pan I melt the butter and chocolate in. Fast, easy and decadent. (the brownies, I mean!)

[JasmineG]

I absolutely loved the brownies discussed on this thread: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/357805 Also, I tip I learned from a professional baker friend: put your pan of brownie batter into the fridge for an hour or so before putting it into the oven, then you'll get your crisp crust every time. You don't need to do that with the recipe in that thread, but if you have another gooey brownie recipe that you like a lot that comes out crustless, you can try this trick.

[digkv]

I found the brownies on chow to be exceptional and fudgy with a crisp crust. Though I must say the best brownies I've had were these: http://wednesdaychef.typepad.com/the_...
The Wednesday Chef: Le Pain Quotidien's Belgian Brownies

[iL Divo]

I do want to try these bcuz of the very low flour content, but then notice the butter, oh my :)

[Densible]

Here is a recipe for brownies I make at Xmas-if you chill the pan of batter before baking, you will acheive a crispy outside and a very moist inside. Another tip-freeze the cooked brownies before cutting. Cut into small squares as these are very rich.

http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/ne...