A few short notes on brownie baking, gathered from the questions readers ask most often.
These notes are reviewed at the start of each school term.
More about these notes
These notes are reviewed at the start of each school term.
These notes are reviewed at the start of each school term.
A short summary of what these notes cover.
These notes are reviewed at the start of each school term.
Freezing
If you are looking into Freezing, start here: cut squares, wrapped individually. The point is that they thaw in an hour and are good for three months.
Treat it as a starting point; specifics change with the house, the school or the kitchen.
Do the cheap checks before the expensive ones. In short, Freezing is worth a minute before you commit.
Brown sugar
Brown sugar in one line: for chew white for crust. Beyond the number, a mix of the two is the usual compromise.
The primary source has the final word, and it is worth a minute to check it.
Write down what you find before you decide anything; it makes the next step obvious. That is the whole of Brown sugar for most readers.
Nuts and add-ins
Nuts and add-ins: the line most people need is folded in last, about 100g per batch. In practice, frozen add-ins keep their shape better than fresh ones.
That is a general note rather than a rule; check the current details before you rely on it.
Keep the paperwork; it is the proof when something is queried later. Knowing this about Nuts and add-ins prevents most mistakes.
Butter
A short note on Butter. The figure to hold onto is unsalted so you control the salt; what matters is that browning the butter first adds a nutty note.
Treat it as a starting point; specifics change with the house, the school or the kitchen.
If something changes, note the date; patterns only show up with dates on them. In short, Butter is worth a minute before you commit.
Tin size
If you are looking into Tin size, start here: a 20cm square, for most recipes. The point is that a bigger tin gives thinner, drier brownies unless you scale the mix.
The primary source has the final word, and it is worth a minute to check it.
When in doubt, choose the simpler option first; it is the one least likely to need undoing. That is the whole of Tin size for most readers.
Storage
Storage in one line: an airtight tin for three to four days. Beyond the number, they are better on day two than day one.
That is a general note rather than a rule; check the current details before you rely on it.
Do the cheap checks before the expensive ones. Knowing this about Storage prevents most mistakes.
Salt
Salt: the line most people need is a good pinch, in every batch. In practice, it sharpens the chocolate rather than making them taste salty.
Treat it as a starting point; specifics change with the house, the school or the kitchen.
Write down what you find before you decide anything; it makes the next step obvious. In short, Salt is worth a minute before you commit.
Oven temperature
A short note on Oven temperature. The figure to hold onto is 170 to 180 C fan; what matters is that a hotter oven sets the edges before the middle cooks.
The primary source has the final word, and it is worth a minute to check it.
Keep the paperwork; it is the proof when something is queried later. That is the whole of Oven temperature for most readers.
Figures are general guidance; the primary source takes precedence.
This note is part of the Brownie Recipe notes desk, a set of short factual pages used to study how search engines read pages.
The full set is listed on the index of notes.