One-Bowl Fudgy Brownies
Dense, glossy-topped brownies with a fudge centre, made in one bowl with melted chocolate and cocoa.
Fudgy rather than cakey comes down to a short ingredient list and a short bake. Very little flour, no raising agent, melted chocolate rather than only cocoa, and the tray out of the oven while the middle is still soft. Whisking the eggs and sugar hard is what gives the thin, crackled top that people judge a brownie by.
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How to make One-Bowl Fudgy Brownies
Ingredients
Quantities scale automatically. Cooking times stay the same.
Brownies
Optional additions
Equipment
- 20 cm / 8 inch square tin
- Heatproof bowl
- Balloon whisk
Method
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1
Prepare the tin
Heat the oven to 180C / 350F. Line the tin with baking paper, leaving an overhang on two sides so you can lift the whole slab out later.
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2
Melt the butter and chocolate
Melt the butter and chopped chocolate together over a pan of barely simmering water, or in short bursts in the microwave, stirring until smooth. Take it off the heat and let it cool for 5 minutes.
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3
Whisk the sugars in hard
Whisk both sugars into the warm chocolate, then add the eggs and vanilla and whisk vigorously for 1 to 2 minutes, until the mixture thickens and turns glossy. This dissolved-sugar step is what forms the papery crackled top.
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4
Fold in the dry ingredients
Sift the flour, cocoa and salt over the top and fold with a spatula until the last streak of flour disappears, no further. Fold in the extra chocolate chunks if using.
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5
Bake until just set
Spread into the tin and bake for 22 to 27 minutes. The edges should be set and slightly risen, the centre still soft, and a skewer 5 cm from the edge should come out with thick crumbs on it.
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6
Cool before cutting
Sprinkle with flaky salt and cool in the tin for at least 2 hours. Warm brownies tear instead of slicing, and the fudge texture only arrives once they are completely cool.
Cook’s tips
- Underbake rather than overbake. Brownies carry on setting in the hot tin, and the five minutes that feel cautious are the five minutes that keep them fudgy.
- Whisk the eggs and sugar harder than feels necessary. That is the only source of the shiny crackled top.
- For sharp-edged squares, chill the cooled slab for 30 minutes and cut with a long knife wiped clean between cuts.
Variations
- Swirl 150 g of softened cream cheese beaten with 2 tablespoons of sugar through the batter before baking.
- Add 100 g of toasted walnuts, or a layer of salted caramel spooned over half the batter.
- Use a 23 cm square tin for thinner, chewier brownies and cut the bake to 18 to 20 minutes.
Storage and make-ahead
Keep in an airtight tin for 4 days; they improve on day two as the centre settles. Freeze cut squares for 3 months and thaw at room temperature, or warm one for 15 seconds in the microwave.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 312 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 4 g |
| Carbohydrates | 34 g |
| Fat | 19 g |
| Fibre | 2 g |
| Sugar | 27 g |
| Sodium | 160 mg |
Nutrition is estimated from ingredient averages and will vary with brands and portioning.
