Hands down, Shirley Corriher’s recipe for Classic Fudgy Brownies is the one everyone should follow. Featured in her must-have baking book Bakewise, Shirley figured out that the crispy flaky top crust on a brownie is actually a thin meringue. The top crust is my favorite part of the brownie, so I wanted to post a recipe that captured this magic!
Classic Fudgy Brownies are the U.S. contribution to the world of pastry. Even though brownies are a classic American bar cookie, finding a good recipe can be difficult.
The Best Brownie Recipe Ever! (Not mine!)
So I am posting Classic Fudgy Brownies here so that 1) I can find the recipe next time I need it, and 2) you can find it too!
The ingredients list that I am posting is the original Shirley Corriher version, but I rearranged a few of the instructions. A few readers commented that they prefer brownies without nuts, so yes, nuts are optional. But in Shirley Corriher’s recipe, she toasts the nuts before adding them to the brownie batter. Simply place the pecans or walnuts in a baking pan and place in 350°F (176°C) oven for 10 minutes. Once you remove the pan from the oven, add 2 tbsp. (28g) of unsalted butter to the pan and stir to combine with the nuts. Allow them to cool completely before adding to the brownies.
The Secret to A Crispy Crust!
The secret part of the shiny, crispy crust is to whip the batter a bit before you fold in the flour. It only takes a minute, but once you stop the mixer you can see a foam rising to the top of the batter. That is the shiny, crispy crust! Stir in the flour and pour into your prepared pan. You will have perfect brownies in one hour!
I especially love this Classic Fudgy Brownie Recipe because it uses real chocolate, not cocoa powder. If you opt for using chocolate chips instead of baker’s chocolate, make sure they are good quality, with a high content of chocolate.
Give this recipe a try and let me know what you think. Thanks, Shirley for sharing your excellent recipe. It is the only brownie recipe that I recommend!
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