2020 has been a tumultuous year. As the novel Covid-19 virus spreads across the world, more and more people are staying put inside their homes. You may belong to the high-risk category, work from home, or voluntarily choose to limit contact with others. Spending so much time cooped indoors can get tedious and tiring. But then quarantine has inspired some serious creativity, and people are taking up new hobbies.

Baking during these overwhelming times is indeed a huge stress-buster. Baking is comforting and indulging. What can beat the joy of baking with your family and indulging in your delicious creations, as you gather around the table?

Here, in today’s post, we share with our dear readers our secret recipe for the “Bestest Brownies,” ever. Yes, we can confidently claim that once you try these brownies, there’s no going back. These are the BOMB! Tie your apron, gather your supplies, it’s time to whip some delectable and doubly delicious brownies.

What makes our brownies the “Bestest” brownies ever?

Well, the answer to this question is tricky. We believe that brownies and chocolate chip cookies are really subjective. The beauty indeed lies in the tongues of the taster. Some like chewy and soft brownies, while others love the cakey brownies that are pillow-soft.

Here, at Gurgaon Bakers, we simply adore brownies that are fudgy and dense. Soft and chewy in the middle, a bit crispy along the edges and top – that’s our formula for the tastiest brownies.

Now that we’ve discussed the texture (and hopefully got you drooling) let’s move to the flavour. Brownies should be sinfully delicious. Rich and very dark – only the best dark chocolate and the finest cocoa powder will do for us. While selecting the ingredients for your brownies, look for natural cocoa (not Dutch-processed) with 22 to 24% fat. And, don’t skimp on the chocolate. Select the best coverture chocolate that you can find.

And, why cocoa powder, you ask? If you use only chocolate for your brownie, it will firm up at room temperature and dry. By adding cocoa powder to the batter, it keeps your brownies soft, moist and fudgy at room temperature.

Easy to serve and longer shelf life. But, we’re pretty sure that these will be gone once you get them out of the oven. Finally, our secret ingredient – a dash of instant coffee. Yes, that makes the flavour darker and more intense. It instantly takes you to brownie heaven, with the first bite.

Moving on to the recipe. If you’re looking for an egg-free version, we’ve got you covered as well.

Fudgy, Rich Brownies with a Crackly Top (Includes Eggs)

Ingredients

1. Dark Chocolate – 170 g
2. Salted Butter – 170g
3. Natural Cocoa Powder – 30g
4. Powdered Sugar – 240 g
5. Eggs – 4
6. Maida – 100 g
7. Instant coffee powder – 2 TSP
8. Hot water – 250 ml
9. Butter biscuits for the crust (optional) – 220 g (Any store-bought biscuits will do)
10. Nutella (optional) – 100 g

Procedure

Preheat an oven at 180◦C for ten minutes.

1. Melt butter and chocolate separately. Use a double boiler or melt in short bursts in the microwave. Allow it to cool slightly.
2. Mix melted butter and melted chocolate together and whisk well.
3. Add cocoa powder to the mixture. Mix well.
4. Next, add in the eggs, one by one, and mix until the mixture is smooth.
5. Add sugar and combine well.
6. Add maida and mix well. The mixture will be a bit thick at this stage.
7. Mix coffee powder with hot water. Make sure that you use hot water for preparing the coffee decoction. Else, the batter will become lumpy. You don’t have to use the entire coffee liquid. Add it bit by bit. The mixture shouldn’t be too runny or too thick. You’re done when the batter begins to resemble smooth lava – thick and shiny.
8. Line a square pan with parchment paper.
9. Crush your butter biscuits in a mixie to a powder. Line the bottom of the pan and press well.
10. Now, spread the batter slowly and evenly on top, without disturbing the crust.
11. Dollop spoons of Nutella on top, if you wish. Use a fork to swirl the Nutella. Steps 10 and 12 are optional. You can skip it without affecting the taste.
12. Bake at 180◦C for 30 to 40 minutes.

The brownie is done when the top surface looks almost done. The centre will be a bit jiggly. The skewer test will not work for brownies as the centre needs to be a bit moist. Let it cool thoroughly. Then, lift it out of the tray and cut and serve.

Fudgy, Rich Brownies with a Crackly Top (Egg-free Version)

Ingredients

1. Milk chocolate – 150 g
2. Dark chocolate – 100 g
3. Cocoa powder – 35 g
4. Condensed milk – 400 g
5. Salted butter – 100 g
6. Powdered sugar – 40 g
7. Maida – 100 g
8. Instant coffee powder – 2 TSP
9. Hot water – 250 ml
10. Butter biscuits for the crust (optional) – 220 g (Any store-bought biscuits will do)
11. Nutella (optional) – 100 g

Procedure

Preheat an oven at 180◦C for ten minutes.

1. Melt butter and chocolate separately. Use a double boiler or melt in short bursts in the microwave. Allow it to cool slightly.
2. Mix melted butter and melted chocolate together and whisk well.
3. Add condensed milk (room temperature) and sugar and combine well.
4. Add maida, baking powder, and cocoa powder and fold. The mixture will be a bit thick at this stage.
5. Mix coffee powder with hot water. Make sure that you use hot water for preparing the coffee decoction. Else, the batter will become lumpy. You don’t have to use the entire coffee liquid. Add it bit by bit. The mixture shouldn’t be too runny or too thick. You’re done when the batter begins to resemble smooth lava – thick and shiny.
6. Line a square pan with parchment paper.
7. Crush your butter biscuits in a mixie to a powder. Line the bottom of the pan and press well.
8. Now, spread the batter slowly and evenly on top, without disturbing the crust.
9. Dollop spoons of Nutella on top, if you wish. Use a fork to swirl the Nutella. Steps 10 and 12 are optional. You can skip it without affecting the taste.
10. Bake at 180◦C for 30 to 40 minutes.

That’s it. Bookmark this recipe and whip some delicious brownies in a jiffy. Got a friend who would be interested in the recipe? Share it and spread the love!

Stay safe, and stay happy during the quarantine. And, remember, our tasty treats are just a call away. Ring us/Whatsapp us on
+91 989 9988 185 to get our freshly baked cakes, and cookies delivered right at your doorstep, anywhere in Gurgaon.