Fudgy Brownies (small batch)

Saturday 19 June 2021

Fudgy Brownies 
 Fudge Brownies.  Everyone has their favorite brownie recipe and I am no different.  My favorite recipe is my Fudge Walnut Brownies, which I have been baking for years and years. You can find that recipe here

It is the brownie recipe that I used to bake for my children and it is the brownie recipe that used to be often requested when I worked at the Manor.  It is quite simply  the best chewy fudge brownie recipe going. 

Fudgy Brownies

Its just not practical for me to bake a whole pan of brownies these days.  As a singleton living on my own, I cannot be trusted with that many brownies!  Far too dangerous!

I decided to work at downsizing my recipe so that it made a much smaller amount.  The end result is this small-batch fudgy brownie recipe. Built for only two or one as it were.

Fudgy Brownies 
These are dense and moist, rich and chocolatey.  Just what a perfect brownie should be.  I have eaten many a brownie in my day, and I declare these perfect.

I have my own ideas about what constitutes a really good brownie.  I am always surprised when I see people cooking brownies and declaring them perfect when they are only a mass of sludge and goo.

Fudgy Brownies 
A good brownie should not be a mass of sludge and goo. You should be able to totally pick up a good brownie in your hands.

Yes, they should be dense and fudgy.  Moist and rich.  Never runny or under-cooked. You should not ever need a spoon to eat one.

Fudgy Brownies

I had occasion to attend a cookery show in London one time.  As an invited guest I was asked to bring in a recipe that I had cooked at home.  There were several celebrity chef's in this particular show.

The Tanner Brothers and Paul Rankin.  There was also a celebrity guest. Vanessa Phelps.  One of the things they cooked was brownies.  They actually had a brownie bake-off and I have to say, in all honesty I could have taught them a thing or two about baking brownies!



Fudgy Brownies 
All of their brownies were the absolute worst brownies I have ever seen or tasted.  They were masses of gooey chocolate sludge.  Maybe it is just impossible to bake a good brownie in the time that they had to bake them in.

But I was singularly un-impressed. Totally disappointed.  Surely they could do better than that, and if they didn't have enough time, they would have been much better served to have baked something which could be done properly in the time alloted.

Fudgy Brownies 
This brownie recipe of mine always turns out.  ALWAYS! Each and every time you are assured of the perfect brownie.  So long as you follow my instructions.  Even this small batch recipe.

One thing to remember when making brownies is to not overmix them.  Once you have the chocolate melted and the sugar, eggs, etc. stirred in, you simply need to fold in the flour.

Fudgy Brownies 
Make sure, of course, that no streaks of white flour remain in the batter.  But don't overmix by any stretch.  This will result in a tough brownie.

Also don't over-bake them. Not unless you want a more cake-like finish to your brownie. Overbaking is as huge a no-no as is under-baking them.

Fudgy Brownies 
As you can see, these are lovely and dense.  Not cake-like.  Not gooey or oozy.  Extremely fudgy.  I did not add walnuts to these like I normally do.

Instead I opted to sprinkle a few mini chocolate chips on top.  You could always fold in some chocolate chips/chunks and toasted nuts, if that is the way you enjoy your brownies.

Fudgy Brownies

Perfectly cooked brownies will have a shiny, glossy surface, and these did.  I dusted them with icing sugar for photography purposes.  

The truth is dark things, chocolate things, etc. never photograph really well. The camera does not like them.  Adding something like a dusting of icing sugar helps them to photograph a lot better.

I hope you will forgive me for that. 😉

Fudgy Brownies


I am sure you will.  Especially once you sink your teeth into one of these delicious babies.  I am so happy I only made a small batch.  I am having a hard time resisting them.  I can only imagine the damage done to my hips had I baked a full batch! 

If you would like to check out all of my brownie recipes, you can find them here. You will need to scroll back through the pages, but not a problem if you like brownies I can assure you.

There is quite a variety to choose from.  And I can assure you every one of them is delicious, a tried and true, perfect bake. 

In the meantime, if you are looking for smaller sized, brownie perfection, you have come to the right place. Enjoy!
 

Fudgy Brownies

Fudgy Brownies

Yield: makes 8
Author: Marie Rayner
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 35 Min
I small batched my favorite brownie recipe to make the perfect size for the smaller family. These are rich, fudgy and delicious. Moist and chewy. Take care not to overbake.

Ingredients

  • 3 1/2 ounces (100g) good quality semi sweet chocolate chips (scant 2/3 cup)
  • 4 TBS butter, cut in four pieces
  • 1 TBS unsweetened cocoa powder (not chocolate drink mix)
  • 1/2 cup + 2 TBS (120g) sugar
  • 1 large free range egg, plus 1 egg yolk
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup (70g) all purpose plain flour
  • a small handful of mini chocolate chips to sprinkle on top

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350*F/180*C/gas mark 4.  
  2. Line an 8 1/2 inch by 4 1/2 inch loaf tin with some aluminum foil, using two sheets of foil placed perpendicular to each other in the tin, and pushing it firmly into the corners. Leave an overhang in order to better lift the baked brownies out. Butter the foil really well. 
  3. Melt the chocolate chips and butter together over medium low heat in a saucepan. whisking until melted and smoothly amalgamated. Whisk in the cocoa powder.  Leave to cool to lukewarm.
  4. Whisk in the sugar, salt, egg, egg yolk and vanilla extract to combine.  Fold in the flour.
  5. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan, spreading it out to the corners and smoothing over the top. Sprinkle the mini chocolate chips evenly over all.
  6. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs attached.  Rotate the pan halfway through the bake time. The surface will be shiny when done.
  7. Leave to cool completely in the pan. (I leave them overnight so I can cut them neater.)
  8. Remove from the pan and peel off the foil. Cut into rectangles or squares to serve.
  9. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Notes:

  1. These can be baked in a 9 X 5 inch loaf tin, but will be done about 5 minutes sooner.
  2. Take care not to overbake or your brownies will be more cake-like rather than fudgy.
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Fudgy Brownies
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17 comments

  1. These brownies look so delicious. Brownies are something I don't make very often and I really don't know why. I do love them. I've checked and I have all the ingredients on hand so perhaps I'll make them for a Sunday treat. I'm torn between the brownies and the rhubarb buttermilk picnic cake you showcased a few days ago. It's so hard to decide. Have a lovely Saturday. I know you'll be busy getting ready to celebrate Father's Day with your Dad. Love and hugs, Elaine

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    1. I really hope that you enjoy them Elaine! I have to say they are incredibly moreish. Love and hugs, xoxo

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  2. My husband would like these, so I appreciate a small batch recipe as I'd not eat them and so it would be a waste to do a full batch.

    Brownies must be another North American thing as I'd never heard of them until the advent of the internet :) When I was growing up, mum made chocolate slices of various kinds - some more cake like, some more like a biscuit, but nothing approaching these. I'm not fond of chocolate, not even when I was a kid, so I generally didn't eat them.

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    1. Mom never baked anything like this either. I am not sure when I encountered my first brownie. I think I was in my late teens! Small batches have their silver linings. For you, no waste as you don't like chocolate and you can bake them just for your husband. For me, the fact I am on my own and don't want to be faced with that much temptation, lol. Happy days! xoxo

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  3. I so agree about brownies! I have eaten so many that were almost uncooked sludge in the middle to the extent that I needed a spoon! The texture of yours looks perfect and I feel compelled to make them instantly! (A compulsion aided by a birthday tomorrow for which I am also making your lemon drizzle cake.)

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    1. Thanks very much Jean! I hope the birthday celebration goes well! xoxo

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  4. This one definitely looks like a keeper. I'm with you on fudgy brownies. I don't see the point otherwise. That's just what a brownie is! I might have to make those when the Toddlers come. The Big One is a serious chocolate fan!

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    1. I hope you do get to bake them soon Jeanie! I adore brownies myself! I can't get enough of them! xoxo

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  5. These seem to be similar to Katharine Hepburn's brownies. You can find her recipe all over the Web. Thank you.

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    1. I don't know what you are trying to say I am sure, but I don't think its very nice. In any case, I don't think Katherine Hepburn ever baked brownies just for two people.

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    2. I was referring to the ingredients and to the resulting texture. It was not meant to be unkind in any way. I've been a fan of yours for years.

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    3. I am so sorry that I thought otherwise. My deepest apologies. I have developed a rather thin skin over these past six months when people have been less kind than they should have been that I am working on healing. I so apologize for having jumped to the wrong conclusion. I thank you for your support. xoxo

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    4. I meant no offense, in fact, I was a longtime subscriber. My objective was to show the similarities between the recipes. Here is the list of ingredients for her brownies. This is can be tweaked to fit your needs. The instructions call for an 8"x8" baking dish...not a big batch. But, if you want to be offended, enjoy.

      INGREDIENTS
      ½ cup cocoa
      ½ cup butter
      2 eggs
      1 cup sugar
      ¼ cup flour
      1 cup chopped or broken-up walnuts or pecans
      1 teaspoon vanilla
      Pinch of salt

      PREPARATION
      Heat oven to 325 degrees.
      Melt butter in saucepan with cocoa and stir until smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes, then transfer to a large bowl. Whisk in eggs, one at a time. Stir in vanilla.
      In a separate bowl, combine sugar, flour, nuts and salt. Add to the cocoa-butter mixture. Stir until just combined.
      Pour into a greased 8 x 8-inch-square pan. Bake 30 to 35 minutes. Do not overbake; the brownies should be gooey. Let cool, then cut into bars.

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    5. I will have to try the recipe out. It looks delicious! Thank you!

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  6. Please can you give an actual weight (ounces or grams) for the butter, I just can’t work with tablespoons with something “solid” like butter (Sorry !). (I never use recipes with cup measurements either 🤷‍♀️)
    These brownies look delicious, so I’d really like to try, Thanks !

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    Replies
    1. That would be 56grams or 2 ounces. Hope this helps! I hope you enjoy the brownies Claire! xoxo

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  7. I had to chuckle about your interaction with the celebrity chefs and their poorly made brownies. I'm sure you could have taught them a thing or two about your best brownie recipe. :) I'm looking forward to tasting your recipe, Marie. ~Elaine

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