Amelia Grace I have written a fair few brownie recipes for this site, because brownies are a topic that deserves it. There is the gooey one, the thick American one with chocolate chips and the cocoa-powder tray bake.
This is the fourth, and it is the one you make when you want the most intense chocolate hit of them all.
These are the brownies that behave like fudge. They are very dense, with a tight, almost truffle-like crumb, a thin, shiny crust and a deep, dark chocolate flavour.
The flour is kept to a minimum, there is plenty of melted chocolate, and the secret ingredient is a chill in the fridge, which turns them from soft and gooey into properly fudgy and sliceable.
Why Extra Yolks and Less Flour Make a Fudgier Brownie
The texture of a brownie depends on the balance between fat, sugar and flour.
Flour gives a brownie structure, and the more you use, the more cake-like it becomes. Cutting the flour right down, and adding two extra egg yolks, gives you a much denser, richer, creamier result.
Yolks add fat and emulsifiers, which keep the crumb moist and smooth rather than airy, while the high ratio of melted chocolate and butter sets firm as it chills, leaving you with a texture closer to fudge than to cake.
Ingredients for Delia Smith Chocolate Fudge Brownies
- 200g dark chocolate (70% cocoa), broken into pieces
- 150g unsalted butter, cubed
- 150g light brown sugar
- 50g caster sugar
- 2 large eggs, plus 2 egg yolks
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 60g plain flour
- 20g cocoa powder
- ¼ tsp fine salt
- Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling
How to Make Delia Smith Chocolate Fudge Brownies — Step by Step
Step 1 — Preheat and Prepare
Preheat your oven to 175°C (155°C fan / Gas 3½). Grease and line a 20cm square tin with baking parchment, leaving an overhang on two sides.
Step 2 — Melt the Chocolate and Butter
Melt the chocolate and butter together in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, or in short bursts in the microwave, stirring until smooth. Leave to cool for 10 minutes.
Step 3 — Whisk the Eggs and Sugar
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, yolks, both sugars and vanilla for 3 to 4 minutes, until thick, pale and glossy.
Step 4 — Combine
Pour the slightly cooled chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and fold gently until smooth.
Step 5 — Add the Dry Ingredients
Sift the flour, cocoa and fine salt over the top. Fold very gently until you can no longer see any streaks. Do not overmix.
Step 6 — Bake
Pour into the tin and level the top. Sprinkle lightly with flaky sea salt. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, until the edges are set and the middle still looks slightly soft and wobbles gently.
Step 7 — Cool, Then Chill
Leave to cool in the tin for 1 hour, then chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
Step 8 — Cut
Lift out by the parchment and cut into squares with a hot, clean knife.
My Top Tips for the Best Delia Smith Chocolate Fudge Brownies
Underbake them slightly. The middle should still wobble when you take them out. They finish setting as they cool and chill.
Do not skip the chill. This is what turns a soft brownie into a fudgy one, and it makes clean cutting possible.
Whisk the eggs and sugar properly. It gives the shiny, thin crust that is the hallmark of a good brownie.
Use a good dark chocolate. With so much chocolate in the recipe, the quality shows.
Fold in the flour at the very end. Overmixing makes brownies cakey.
Cut with a hot knife. Run it under hot water and wipe it dry between cuts.
Serving Suggestions
Serve cold from the fridge for the fudgiest texture, or let them come to room temperature for 20 minutes for a softer bite. They are lovely with a spoonful of crème fraîche and fresh raspberries, or warmed for 10 seconds in the microwave with vanilla ice cream.
How to Store Delia Smith Chocolate Fudge Brownies
In the fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week. They are best served cool.
At room temperature: Fine for 2 days, though they will be softer.
In the freezer: Freeze cut squares, wrapped individually or layered with greaseproof paper, for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge.
Delia Smith Chocolate Fudge Brownies Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 175°C (155°C fan / Gas 3½). Line a 20cm square tin.
- Melt the chocolate and butter together and cool for 10 minutes.
- Whisk the eggs, yolks, sugars and vanilla for 3–4 minutes until thick and glossy.
- Fold in the melted chocolate mixture.
- Sift in the flour, cocoa and salt and fold gently.
- Pour into the tin, sprinkle with sea salt and bake for 22–25 minutes until the middle is still slightly soft.
- Cool for 1 hour, then chill for at least 2 hours.
- Cut into squares with a hot knife.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions About Delia Smith Chocolate Fudge Brownies
How are these different from your other brownie recipes?
My first brownie is soft and gooey, the American one is thick and chewy with chocolate chips and nuts, and the cocoa-powder brownie is chewier with crisp edges. These are the densest, with the least flour, the most chocolate and an overnight chill.
Why are mine too gooey to cut?
They need more chilling time, or were underbaked. Chill overnight and cut with a hot knife.
Why are mine dry?
They were overbaked. Remember that they should still wobble in the middle when they come out of the oven.
Can I add nuts or chips?
Yes, fold in 75g of chopped walnuts, pecans or chocolate chunks at the end, but they will make the brownies slightly less fudgy.
