Perfect brownies

Our columnist, baking expert Benjamina Ebuehi, answers your questions

QHOW DO I GET PERFECT GOOEY BROWNIES? Everyone’s idea of a perfect brownie is di erent, and the ratio of ingredients in your recipe will have a massive impact on the final texture. Brownies that are lighter and more cakey will typically have a higher flour-to-fat ratio, whereas brownies that are more fudgy and gooey will have a larger ratio of fat to flour. So, to get those gooey brownies, the first step would be using a recipe with a higher proportion of butter and chocolate. You could play around with an existing favourite recipe and add small tweaks until you get something that’s perfect for you.

Still, with a recipe that contains more fat, baking time is also important. Underbaking by just a few minutes will help give you a brownie that is cooked but still a bit oozy in the middle. You don’t want to underbake so much that you have a raw batter, but just enough where the middle is still a little soft but the edges are done. Let them cool slightly before cutting and you should have that signature gooey texture. As they cool further, they’ll firm up a bit, especially if stored in the fridge, so to get back that ooziness, simply reheat for a few seconds in the microwave or a couple of minutes in the oven and serve warm.

Benjamina is a London-based baker, food stylist and recipe writer. Her book, A Good Day to Bake (£22, Quadrille), is out now. carrotandcrumb.com

@bakedbybenji