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Upgrade your simple brownies into decadent delights with a few creative twists
Looking for something chocolatey and easy to bake? Brownies are the answer! Bakers tell us how to elevate the oh-so-delicious yet simple chocolate brownie
A warm molten brownie with a heaping scoop of vanilla ice cream might be what dreams are made of. However, while not disregarding its ability to comfort us on days we are feeling low, there are many ways to add a pep to your step and your brownie by adding a few pantry staples. So, move over chocolatey, fudgy brownie, there are new main characters in town.
The blondie is a classic variation of the brownie that originated in the US, much like its darker and richer counterpart. While food historians state that blondies or butterscotch brownies existed at least a decade before the chocolate brownies came about, they gained popularity in India due to their novelty in the early naughts with the increasing use of the Internet.
The first officially documented brownies were made in Chicago for a ladies' fair luncheon in the late 1800s. The event chefs were asked to invent a new dessert that could be included in the boxed lunches at the events. These brownies were decorated with an apricot glaze and a layer of walnuts.
Embrace the variation of textures
Brownies are wonderful as they are adaptable to your personal likes and tastes. It makes for fun experimentation while baking with or for family and friends as you can customise it by using ingredients they might like. Baker Aditi Handa shares, “I love making brownies with my kids and creating unique recipes based on what we find in the pantry. We've tried fun twists like adding Oreos, Hide n Seek, and homemade cookies for a delightful mix of textures.” Throw in chunks of dark chocolate or white chocolate chips in your batter for an extra chocolatey kick.
On the other hand, baker Swheta Mutreja Aggarwal has experimented by adding her childhood favourites like popping candy and jelly beans to brownies as well. “I have a classic fudgy brownie recipe that I follow and adding these candies is nostalgic and brings back memories from my childhood and makes these brownies, magic,” she says.
Why stop at chocolate only?
Based in Matunga (E), baker Annie B’s signature decadent fudgy brownies are crafted with rich, single-origin dark chocolate and have delicate American buttercream flowers piped on it. “The mesmerizing flowers in a pastel American buttercream has a sweet and salty note, which enhances the brownies' flavour. They only captivate the palate but also the eyes and are a perfect fusion of taste and aesthetics.”
Other sweet and salty options include s’more brownies with fluffy marshmallows placed on top of the brownie and torched, and a generous sprinkle of crushed graham crackers. Annie also suggests using a mix of hazelnut spread and cream cheese as this “scrumptious topping delivers a balance of sweet and tangy, and caters to both brownie aficionados and cheesecake connoisseurs, offering the best of both worlds.”
To give your brownies an extra magical touch this season, baker Sunita Gupta from Santacruz (W), says, “Simply add spoonfuls of Biscoff spread to your brownie batter. Swirl it with a toothpick, sprinkle crushed biscuit pieces on top, and bake away. You will get heavenly brownies, which are a perfect mix of flavours and textures.” To add an extra level of ooey-gooey delight to the brownies, drizzle a toffee-caramel sauce onto walnut brownies and serve with a caramel ice cream or dollops of peanut butter or chocolate spread, either.
Fruity freshness to balance fudgy chocolate
Sometimes, chocolate brownies can get a bad rep for being dense and heavy. To alleviate this feeling, Aditi advises home bakers to embrace the unusual and toss in chopped fruits into the batter. “We’ve been adventurous and used fruits like pears, apples and oranges; any berries like strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries would also work well.” Swheta goes on to say that people with a more mature palate may prefer opting for the classic combination of citrus and chocolate. “The brownie batter can be infused with orange rind and fresh orange juice as well as chunks of dark chocolate to give the final product a delicate balance.”
