Bake Those Brownies Low And Slow For Extra Fudgy Chocolatey Goodness

Brownies are delicious, chocolatey treats that have been around since the late 19th century, remaining popular throughout the years. Although they're a U.S. invention, brownies can now be found in tons of countries around the world thanks to their rich and delicious flavor.

Regardless of where you choose to eat your brownies, one thing is for certain — they can vary quite a bit. Whereas some people enjoy fluffy, cake-like brownies, others prefer rich, fudgy brownies that melt in your mouth. If you fall into the latter group of people, there are a few tricks you can employ to help get that extra gooey consistency, especially when dealing with boxed brownies. One such trick you can use is to bake your brownies at a lower temperature for a slightly longer time. 

Doing so can lead to a better overall consistency and a more moist, dense brownie overall. Of course, knowing the details of the temperature and bake time is key to really getting this trick right.

Baking your brownies low and slow doesn't have to be rocket science. In fact, it's actually pretty straightforward! In terms of the temperature, most recipes and boxed brownie mixes will have you baking your brownies at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. However, by lowering your oven temperature by just 25 degrees, you can help ensure your brownies don't bake as fast, which can keep them gooey. At the same time, you'd usually want to bake your brownies for about 20 to 35 minutes. By increasing the bake time of your treats to 40 minutes instead, you can get the fudgier mouth-feel you're after. 

Besides just implementing this low and slow method, you can also try Alton Brown's fudgy brownies, a twice-bake method where you remove your brownies from the oven halfway through the baking process (yes, this works for boxed brownies too). Just bake the brownies for 15 minutes, remove them from the oven for another 15 minutes, and bake them again for a final 30 minutes. This lets the inside of your brownies set and become extra gooey. Just note that if you go the Alton Brown route, you may want to lower your oven temperature even more, to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.

If you're on the hunt for the perfect thick fudgy brownie, it's not just the oven temperature or the bake time you should be thinking about. You've also got to pay attention to what ingredients you use in your brownies.

For one thing, to get truly fudgy brownies, you need to make sure that you've got a higher proportion of fat in your batter. One way to achieve this is to swap the water in your brownie recipe for milk or cream. These dairy products, unlike water, contain fat, helping to get that gooey and fudgy consistency you want.

Besides adding milk to increase the fat content, you can also play around with the eggs in the recipe. Instead of adding a whole egg to your brownie batter, try adding just egg yolks. If you go this route, be aware that you need to swap 2 egg yolks for each whole egg, so make sure to adjust your recipe accordingly. With these ingredient swaps and easy tweaks to your baking method, you could be on the fast track to getting extra fudgy brownies next time you bake, even if it's from a box!