Brownies are real treat, it could be fudgy or thick and chewy, they can be crinkled or smooth yet in any way they oozes with chocolatey taste almost every love.
You can find varieties of brownies in bake shops and grocery stores. Brownies have its own distinct taste because of the different flavors added to it or some ingredients added. You might have tasted a brownie that you wanted to recreate at home.
If you are a brownie addict, you probably have tried baking one or plan on learning how to bake it because nothing beats homemade brownies. You can tweak the ingredients to your liking and even make your own variety.
Basically, chocolate is the main ingredient to your brownies and chocolate also comes in various forms like chips, bars, and powder. They also have different kinds like milk chocolate, dark chocolate, semi or mildly sweet, and others that also contains different percentage or amount of chocolate.
You can also find different recipes for making brownies. Some listed the use of powdered chocolate or solid chocolates like bars. Other recipes suggests using both types but that will be depending on the baker’s choice same as you can also prefer what you like to use when you plan to bake your own brownies.
However, you need to remember that cocoa powder is different from chocolates used for baking and you cannot use it interchangeably. Plain cocoa powder cannot be used as substitute for chocolates for baking or vice versa.
Making your own brownies will be easier, if you use chocolate intended for baking as this easily melt and will produce the texture and taste you like in typical brownies. It is better to use baking chocolate bar for making brownies but if you want to use chocolate chips then it is another option.
Chocolate chips can be used as substitute to chocolate bars, but you need to mix it as they do not easily melt. It is best use if you just want some solid chocolates in your brownies. Keep in mind that if you used chips instead of bars, the taste and texture of your brownies will be a bit different because bars have higher chocolate quality.
The Difference Between Cocoa Powder and Chocolate
Chocolates are very much different from cocoa powder. They contain two main ingredients which are cocoa butter and cocoa solids, whereas cocoa powder are pure cocoa solids. Real chocolates contain 50 percent cocoa butter that makes its texture rather firm and smooth. Unsweetened chocolates however has lesser chocolatey taste than cocoa powder. Cocoa powder can have more flavors and only 10 percent of cocoa butter.
When making brownies you should know the texture and taste you want before choosing whether to use pure chocolate or cocoa powder, or if you want to use both in your recipe.
Pure chocolate will give you fudgy and chewy brownies that looks really mouthwatering.
If you want to use cocoa powder in your brownies’ recipe, you should add some shortening, butter, or fat to get the same fudgy texture. Cocoa powder also makes the brownies darker in color and gives brownies strong chocolatey taste.
If you want to make a brownie variant, just choose a different kind of chocolate to use. For example, using a semi-sweetened chocolate will give you the classic brownie taste. It is also possible to use dark chocolate or sweet milk chocolate to make brownies.
You can make your own chocolate mix if you want none of what is available in the market or if the chocolate you want is out of stock. For example, melted chocolate chips is a good substitute to chocolate bar. You can also add cocoa powder to melted chocolate chips if you want a stronger chocolate taste.
To make your brownies appear fudgy, then the best option is to melt chocolate bars to be mixed with your brownies batter. Still, high quality baking chocolate bar tops it all.
Additional Ingredients and Storage Tips
Brownies are its best when fudgy and extra chocolate chips will make it even more delicious. Chocolate chips is one option you can add to make it flavorful. You may add nuts, chopped candy bars, and even peanut butter bits or cups to make your favorite variant.
When baking your brownies, you can tell whether it is fully baked and ready to be served, by inserting a fork or a toothpick in the middle of the brownies’ baking pan. If it comes out dry or clean, then your brownies are ready to be served.
If you plan to store brownies leftover or just prepared extra brownies to be stored, let it cool completely. Place it in a food container with tight lid and store in your fridge for about three days.
How to Make Brownies Without Cocoa Powder
Making homemade brownies takes only a few steps and if you love to bake, you will find it very easy to do. Here is a walkthrough in baking homemade brownies.
Step 1. Prepare all the ingredients. It is important to have all the ingredients ready before starting on doing the next steps so it will be easier for you to follow through.
Step 2.Prepare the melted chocolate bar and cocoa butter. You can melt the chocolate bar and cocoa butter or butter of your choice together or separately.
Step 3. Mix sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract. Whisk these ingredients in a big bowl and mix it thoroughly.
Step 4. Mix flour until it becomes smooth batter and to your desired consistency.
Step 5. Mix chocolate chips or any other ingredient you want to add flavor to your mixture.
Step 6. Grease your baking pan and pour the batter onto it evenly.
Step 7. Preheat oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Step 8. Bake the brownies batter for not more than 30 minutes. Check when it is cook or increment baking time to a minute when needed.
Remember that brownies are fully baked when your toothpick or fork came out dry or clean, after sinking it in the center of your brownies.
You can serve it right after taking out of the oven or you can let it cool. Others prefer to have chilled brownies, while others like it hot for its fudgy texture.
Brownies Ingredients
You can always tweak or add ingredients to your liking when baking brownies at home but here is the recipe of classic brownies.
- 1 4 ounces of baking chocolate
- 3/4 cup of melted butter
- 1/2 cup of confectioner’s sugar
- 1/2 cup of brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla or vanilla extract
- 1 cup baking flour
- 1 cup of chocolate chips
Easy and Short Baking Instruction
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
- Melt chocolate bar and butter in a microwave for a minute but stir it every after 30 seconds. Increment to another 30 seconds until fully melted.
- Mix together confectioner’s sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla.
- Mix flour to make a smooth batter.
- Add the chocolate chips to the batter.
- Grease your baking pan (typical pan size would be 13×9 inches) and pour the batter evenly. Smooth it out if needed.
- Bake your brownies for not more than 30 minutes.
Related Questions
Do brownies have healthy benefits?
Chocolate and cocoa powder as main ingredient in brownies have inherent healthy benefits that make brownies a healthy treat. It is rich in antioxidants, vitamins A, B and C. It is also a good source of fiber, Potassium and Carbohydrates. It aids in lowering blood pressure, fights aging, and helps reduce wrinkles. However, due to sugar and carbohydrates content it can also be unhealthy to those with sugar level health problems and to those who need to watch their carbs intake.
