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How can I recover my impaired brownies ?

sartoric

By sartoric
in Pastry & Baking

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chromedome

chromedome

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While you're awaiting a response from a more dedicated brownie baker (I don't care for 'em, and therefore don't make them often)...to my eye that's more egg and less fat than many recipes I've seen. Truthfully, even the photo accompanying the recipe makes them look somewhat dry. 

 

If all else fails, underbake them slightly. 

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cakewalk

cakewalk

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Also looks like way too much flour for a brownie recipe, which typically has about 1/4 to 1/2 cup flour. Most "classic" brownie recipes use unsweetened chocolate. There are many that use bittersweet and some that particularly use cocoa, but the combination seems odd. Not sure what you can do to save them. I'd treat it like a chocolate cake that came out too dry - maybe brush it with a simple syrup, flavored if you like - and/or frost it. I would not try to "fix" that recipe. If you want to make brownies again, a new recipe seems to be called for.

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Anna N

Anna N

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 Assuming that you are not currently looking for a new brownie recipe but rather a way of saving the expensive ingredients that went into this one, I would suggest you could perhaps layer chunks in a parfait glass with some ice cream, top with some whipped cream  and don't apologize. I suspect Julia Child might've had a suggestion such as this.

 

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Anna Nielsen aka "Anna N"

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Kerry Beal

Kerry Beal

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3 hours ago, sartoric said:

I've looked, but the search engine and I don't get on. 

I followed this recipe http://vst.to/SvrsUMj the result is dry and crumbly. Top notch ingredients went into the mix. I've only cut off a small piece to try it. Any ideas ?

 

Thanks from a novice brownie baker....

Way, way, way over baked if you follow their directions.

 

Anna's idea of making something akin to trifle with them looks like the best solution to rescue the existing brownies. 

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Kerry Beal

Kerry Beal

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59 minutes ago, cakewalk said:

Also looks like way too much flour for a brownie recipe, which typically has about 1/4 to 1/2 cup flour. Most "classic" brownie recipes use unsweetened chocolate. There are many that use bittersweet and some that particularly use cocoa, but the combination seems odd. Not sure what you can do to save them. I'd treat it like a chocolate cake that came out too dry - maybe brush it with a simple syrup, flavored if you like - and/or frost it. I would not try to "fix" that recipe. If you want to make brownies again, a new recipe seems to be called for.

True - that much flour along with cocoa powder makes for a lot of dry ingredient.

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rustwood

rustwood

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For anyone who is browsing and now thinking about making brownies, I recently made these and they were quite good.  They may not be for you if you like a super gooey/chewy brownie.  Mine came out with a very nice middle of the road texture.  I added walnuts - who eats brownies without nuts? :P

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Toliver

Toliver

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Anna's trifle suggestion is what I usually pipe up with when it comes to salvaging a cake/brownie gone wrong. 

Layer the brownie with a nice custard and whipped cream. Or you could go chocolate "overboard" with a layer of a nice chocolate pudding with chocolate whipped cream.

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Alex

Alex

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What a bizzaro recipe! Mine -- which is basically Cook's Illustrated's -- has 200 g unsalted butter, 60 g unsweetened chocolate, 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract, 2/3 US cup cake flour (Wondra brand), 1 US cup sugar (all caster or half caster, half light brown), 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt. Baking time is 25±5 minutes.

 

I love Anna's trifle suggestion. My favorite trifle of all time was a special at Traffic Jam & Snug, in Detroit, way too many years ago: chocolate brownies or cake, cognac (I think), fresh pears, chantilly cream.

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cakewalk

cakewalk

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I'm wondering if "brownies" are different in Australia than in the States. What's a standard brownie like there? It may have different characteristics than the classic American brownie, which is usually on the fudgy side and very chocolatey. 

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Kerry Beal

Kerry Beal

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9 minutes ago, cakewalk said:

I'm wondering if "brownies" are different in Australia than in the States. What's a standard brownie like there? It may have different characteristics than the classic American brownie, which is usually on the fudgy side and very chocolatey. 

Here are a few pages of opinions on that!

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