How to Get That Glossy Flaky Top on Brownies

Let me guess…You probably have 27 cherished brownie recipes?

Or is that just me?

My thoughts: there is ALWAYS room for another brownie recipe!

So even if you have 56 of them, trust me that you need to try this one too! Why? Because it will become your go-to.

This brownie recipe is EASY, deep dark chocolaty, perfectly salty-sweet, dense, moist and fudgy. I needs only 7 simple ingredients and it bakes up with that crinkly shiny top every time.

What is it not?
It is not dry, cloyingly sweet and crumbly.

How to make moist brownies from scratch:

It's about the sugar and how it is dissolved.Dissolve sugar = syrup = bound water = moistness.

Lots of recipes tell you to "dissolve" sugar in melted chocolate and butter, but I don't care how long you stir it or how hot that butter is, sugar will NEVER dissolve in melted chocolate! Sugar dissolves in water,not fat.

In addition to that…, with the amount of sugar that goes into a brownie, it is technically a supersaturated mixture so it will never be completely dissolved anyways. Brownie batter is a very low moisture batter, unlike cake batter that has a higher water content.

How to make fudgy brownies:

1. Never use raising agents like baking soda or baking powder. Brownies are meant to be dense and using leavening will create gases that can make the brownie seem dry.

2. Always measure flour accurately. Too much flour leads to a dry brownie.

3. Watch the baking time. In all my experience, most standard 8-inch pan brownie recipes take between 20 and 25 minutes when baked in a metal pan. Start checking after 20 minutes. A skewer should not come out clean — it should come out with a few moist sticky bits attached. If it comes out clean it may be over baked, and if it comes out with wet batter then it is still a bit raw.

4. Mix the eggs with the sugar first instead of stirring the sugar into the melted chocolate. Sugar cannot dissolve in fat, but it can dissolve in the water within egg whites.

How to get a shiny crust on brownies:

Again, it's about dissolved sugar. Whisk the sugar into the eggs first. This will help it dissolve some, and also the bonds between sugar and egg proteins is what creates the thin tissue like crust. To help this along, always use room temperature (not cold) eggs. The warmer temperature helps sugar dissolve.

TIP: to bring eggs to room temperature quickly, submerge them in warm water for 10 minutes.

I use intense 85% chocolate here which makes perfectly chocolaty brownies. You can also use 70% bittersweet chocolate — just do not use unsweetened.

For a reeeaaaallly thin and delicate tissue paper-like crust, whip the eggs and sugar for several minutes. The longer you whip the eggs with the sugar, the thinner and shinier the crust will be.

Perfect Shiny Crust Classic Fudge Brownies

Christina Marsigliese

The BEST classic moist and fudgy dark chocolate brownies with a crispy, shiny crust every time!

Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

5 oz 142g extra dark chocolate (I like this one), coarsely chopped
6 tbsp 84g unsalted butter
2 large eggs at room temperature
1 cup 200g granulated sugar
1 tsp 5ml pure vanilla extract
½ tsp salt
½ cup 71g all-purpose flour

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line an 8×8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on each end and butter the exposed sides.
In a large bowl over a pot with ½-inch of simmering water, stir together chocolate and butter until completely melted, smooth and glossy.
Beat eggs with sugar vigorously in a large bowl using a whisk or hand mixer until pale, thick and fluffy. When you lift up the beaters, the egg mixture will form a slowly disappearing ribbon on the surface of the mixture when it falls back into the bowl. It will take a bit more effort to do it by hand, but I really like using a whisk! Beat in vanilla and salt then stir in warm chocolate mixture until evenly blended. Stir in flour until well incorporated and smooth. Pour batter into prepared pan and use the back of the spatula to smooth out the surface.
Bake for 20-25 minute until slightly puffed and a toothpick inserted someplace between the edge and the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool completely before slicing.