Scratch Brownies Ganache
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Dense chocolate brownies baked low and slow to avoid dryness; rich ganache thickened in fridge. Butter swapped slightly for oil to keep moist. Cocoa powder adjusted down a bit; salt a pinch less. Vanilla bean paste swaps for extract, deeper flavor. Chocolate chips folded in batter, melted into pockets of goo; ganache uses heavy cream warmed till almost boiling then poured over chips, sat till melted, butter stirred in for shine. Timing tweaked; watch surface dry, crackly edges but still moist center. Chill ganache well before spreading to avoid runny mess. Skill checks include batter texture, sheen of ganache, and precise cooling. Not for rushed hands.
Prep:
22 min
Cook:
38 min
Total:
Servings:
8 servings
#baking
#chocolate
#dessert
#brownies
#ganache
Brownies crust crackles like old paved road. Fudgy center, dense but not leaden. Tried higher temps before; edges too crisp, cracks ran wild. Lower oven temp, slower bake—favor moisture trapped. Butter swapped a spoonful for neutral oil sometimes, if butter’s too cold or grainy. Vanilla bean paste over extract; deeper, speckled with bean bits, but extract works if on hand. Dark cocoa powder better here, richer chocolate color, less bitterness. Chocolate chips uneven in heat melt into pockets, little explosions of sweetness. That ganache—heated cream only steaming, not boiling or scorched, melts chips to glossy silk with butter sheen. Fridge chills ganache from run straight to firm spread. Patience is key; rush and ganache puddles, brownie crumbs drag fault line through your topping. Worth mastering, every crack and gloss a signature mark of respect for chocolate.
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter softened slightly
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar plus 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/3 cup Dutch process cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla bean paste (sub vanilla extract)
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour sifted
- 1/3 cup bittersweet chocolate chips for batter
- 1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips for ganache
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon unsalted butter (ganache finishing touch)
About the ingredients
Butter right temp—softened but not melted—makes all difference. Too cold and sugar lumps, too warm and batter too runny. Sugars pairing granulated and brown adds slight chew and caramel hints. Salt critical: too much kills; too little flattens. Cocoa powders vary widely; Dutch processed is smoother, less acidic, use natural cocoa in pinch but raise baking soda if baking calls for it. Vanilla bean paste adds speckled visual cues of quality; vanilla extract substitutes with less texture but fine aroma. Eggs—large and fresh—bind moisture, pull together crumb. Flour folded last to prevent gluten overdevelopment and toughness; mix just enough. Chocolate chips split between batter and topping, different roles; melting in batter, richer bites, ganache chips must be good quality or topping dulls. Heavy cream choice affects final gloss; higher fat cream better, but half and half can work in pinch but less glossy. Butter in ganache adds shine and silkiness, but skip if dairy intolerant; top with coconut oil instead for sheen. Never skip grease and dust in pan; prevents stuck burnt edges.
Method
Brownies
- Preheat oven to 320 degrees Fahrenheit, adjusting down a few degrees to avoid hard edges. Grease an 8x8 inch pan with butter or nonstick spray; dust lightly with cocoa to keep crust tender.
- Mix softened butter with sugars and salt until grainy but combined; no over-whipping—texture matters here. Stir in cocoa powder thoroughly; dry lumps ruin smoothness, so break up any clumps.
- Add vanilla bean paste and eggs one at a time, beat gently. Avoid adding air aggressively; want fudgy dense, not cakey fluff.
- Fold in sifted flour last—no overmixing. Stop when strands of flour mostly gone, just combined. Stir in 1/3 cup chocolate chips but keep batter thick and luscious.
- Scrape batter evenly into pan; use a spatula to smooth. Don’t spread aggressively; texture and air bubbles affect crumb.
- Bake 35 to 40 minutes but start checking at 33. Edges should pull slightly from pan; top dull, brownie firm to gentle touch but still soft inside. Trim cooking if sharp toothpick pull reveals moist crumbs, not raw batter. Oven hot spots mean turn pan once mid-bake for even cooking.
- Cool completely on wire rack before cutting to avoid gooey mess; use a serrated knife for cleaner edges.
Ganache
- Place 1/2 cup chocolate chips in medium bowl. Choose chocolate with good cocoa butter content for shine and snap.
- Heat heavy cream in microwave-safe cup until steaming but not boiling—watch bubbles forming around edges, not full boil or it scorches.
- Pour cream directly over chips. Let sit 5 to 7 minutes; chocolate softens, bloom melts away into shiny mix.
- Stir slowly at first breaking chocolates into thick mass. Add teaspoon butter for richness and gloss; stir until shiny and smooth.
- Refrigerate ganache 30–60 minutes to thicken. Texture should be spreadable but set; cold ganache resists sliding off brownies.
- Spread gently over cooled brownies using offset spatula or back of spoon. Chill again if needed to firm before slicing.
- Serve at room temp; ganache softens slightly to melt on tongue.
- Store covered at room temp up to two days or refrigerate longer but bring back to room temp before serving.
Cooking tips
Preheat oven properly; temp off by 10 degrees ruins texture. Grease and dust pan with cocoa, not flour—that flour dusting can dry edges. Butter and sugar mix until grainy means sugar starting to dissolve; don’t overbeat or batter loses dense fudge feel. Cocoa lumps kill brownie experience; break any apart before mixing. Eggs added slowly anchors emulsion; beaten fast bubbles bake into holes. Flour incorporation is delicate; fold with spatula, stop when no streaks. Batter thick, glossy, sometimes looks almost too thick but fudge likes resistance to spreading. Baking time varies by oven and pan material; check by touch not just clock—edges firm, also look for dull matte top, not shiny wet. Cooling brownie fully before ganache critical; warm brownie melts ganache dropping pools, ruining topping. For ganache, warming cream till steaming creates perfect heat without scorching chocolate. Let chips rest in cream undisturbed; rushing stir traps lumps. Butter added at end brings shine, emulsifies fat, coats chocolate bits. Refrigerating ganache firm up gloss and make spreading manageable; too warm and ganache slides; too cold and cracks. Use a gentle hand spreading ganache or uneven thickness and pinholes show. Patience folding, cooling, and spreading means difference between clumsy slab and polished treat. Store brownies airtight; humidity dries edges fast.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Butter temp matters big time - softened not melted. Too warm batter runs, sugar doesn’t hold grainy texture. Too cold and sugar lumps. Mix sugars just until grainy; point where sugar dissolves but butter still thick. Cocoa lumps wreck crumb - break apart fully or batter rough pockets form, ruin that fudgy feel.
- 💡 Low oven temp slows bake, traps moisture, dense crumb but crackly crust. Watch edges pulling slightly from pan, dull matte top. Toothpick test tricky - moist crumbs on stick is good, raw batter ruins inside. Open oven fast spells rough crust. Turn pan once mid-bake for even heat - ovens rarely uniform.
- 💡 Add eggs one at a time; mix gently without aggressive air. Air makes cakey texture, want dense fudgy. Fold flour last: stir just till mostly no streaks - overmix develops gluten tough crumb. Batter thick, glossy, slightly resistant to spreading. Chocolate chips fold in carefully; they melt spots of sweetness inside brownie.
- 💡 Ganache needs cream steaming, not boiling - bubbles at edges signal heat right. Pour hot cream on chips, no stirring yet, rest 5 to 7 minutes. Slow stir breaks chocolate into thick glossy mass. Add cold butter finally; dissolves emulsifies gloss. Chill ganache 30 to 60 minutes until spreadable but firm. Too cold cracks, too warm slides off brownies.
- 💡 Chill brownies fully before ganache. Warm brownie melts ganache, puddles drip off edges messing tops. Spread gently with offset spatula or back of spoon; thickness even prevents pinholes. Chill again if ganache soft. Use serrated knife for cutting crisp edges. Store airtight; humidity dries crust fast but refrigeration dulls texture if long.
Common questions
How to know when brownies are done?
Edges pull from pan, top dull. Toothpick shows moist crumbs not raw batter. Smell turns rich. Don’t rely on bake time alone. Touch top gently - firm but springy means ready.
Can I swap vanilla bean paste?
Yes vanilla extract works. Less visual specks, flavor lighter but still fine. Bean paste deeper, speckled. Add vanilla last with eggs gently mixed. No skim on extract.
Why ganache cracks when spread?
Usually ganache too cold or thick. Take out a bit before spreading or stir longer to soften. Butter addition helps gloss and pliability. Keep ganache chilled but not fridge hard before applying.
How to store brownies with ganache?
Room temperature two days covered airtight best for crust. Refrigerate longer but ganache firms and dulls. Warm slightly before serving to soften top. Avoid wrapping in plastic directly on ganache or marred surface.
