Backpost: Cupcake molds, pyrex, and chocolate, oh my!
Brownies are my go-to baked item for potlucks and birthdays. They’re so mobile, convenient, quick, and can come in so many forms: be it a large continuous brownie to be iced as a cake; squares that can be sprinkled with nuts; or these little cupcakes. I always add too much vanilla- on purpose- for it gives it a very nice flavour. And I substitute all butter for olive oil- yet another winning substitute, for it gives it much nicer texture, in my opinion. Some other findings:
- Undercook to where if you tilt the pan to the side, there’s only a slight mudslide that begins. For me that means a bake time of 17-20 minutes for very fudgy, and 15-17 minutes for a bit mushier fudge.
- After removing the brownies from the oven, let them cool for 5-10 minutes, then immediately place in the fridge (with a potholder or some divider so as to not melt your fridge bottom) for at least 8-10 hours.
- Take the brownies out of the fridge, let them sit for about 15 minutes, then cut. If you don’t wait long enough before cutting, the brownies may be too cold for your knife; if you wait too long, they’ll stick too much to the knife when you cut and you’ll end up with a far fudgier knife than you’d like!
Mind you, if fudge brownies aren’t your preference, ignore these steps :) and you can overbake for a cakier consistency, or fold in more air to get more bubbles. Recently I made the fudgiest ones I’ve had yet (no water- usually I put in about a fourt or third of a cup) and a little extra oil; flavoured with vanilla and macademia nuts, they were a hit. I’ve never seen them be eaten so quickly! It’s a combination I’ll certainly have to do in the future again.
