A kitchen conundrum that really fascinates me is the issue of fudgy versus cakey brownies.
Fudgy Gluten-Free Chocolate Brownies
Fudgy or Cakey?
Some people prefer the rich, dense decadence of the fudgy type, while others want their brownies more like a light, airy cake. Personally, I will devour either kind but—given a choice—I choose the fudgy version.
The folks at Martha Stewart Living explored the science behind these two choices in a recent magazine article and on their website.
The Science
They boil down the science on brownie texture to this: All brownies are made of the same basic ingredients: butter, eggs, chocolate, flour, and sugar. However, it is the ratios or proportions of each ingredient that make all the difference in texture.
In their series, Kitchen Conundrums, they lay out the basic rules for choosing a brownie texture:
[1] For a fudgy brownie use more butter and chocolate, but less flour.
[2] For a cakey brownie use less butter, but more flour—plus a little baking powder for leavening.
[3] Keep the amount of sugar and eggs the same in both versions.
[4] Bake fudgy brownies for 2 to 5 minutes less than cakey brownies.
[5] Their analysis is on gluten brownies, so I add a fifth tip: add 1/8 teaspoon xanthan gum to make sure the brownies don’t crumble.
You can use these general guidelines to tweak your own gluten-free brownie recipe, or follow the Martha Stewart version (but add xanthan gum for less crumbling). To watch brownies being made in the Martha Stewart kitchen, go here.
How Does My Brownie Recipe Stack Up?
When I look at my own Brownie recipe from my book, Gluten-Free 101, I see that it really leans more toward the cakey version. So, how can I modify it to be fudgier? I will follow the same steps that Martha suggests, but make these adjustments:
First, I will reduce the flour to ½ cup, omit the baking powder, and reduce the xanthan gum to 1/8 teaspoon. Second, I will increase the butter to 1 stick (1/2 cup) and omit the water or coffee. Third, I will bake the brownies for 2 minutes less than the original 20 minutes, or just until they look barely set, knowing they will continue to cook after they are removed from the oven. Of course, my new fudgy brownies will be thinner than the original because there is no baking powder to make them rise.
Carol Fenster’s Chocolate Fudgy Brownies
Reprinted with permission from Gluten-Free 101: The Essential Beginner’s Guide to Easy Gluten-Free Cooking by Carol Fenster (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2014)
This is my new fudgier version of my original Brownie recipe. Be forewarned: it is intensely chocolatey. This version is plain, but feel free to add chocolate chips or nuts for added variety.
½ cup Carol’s Sorghum Blend (see below)
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (natural or Dutch-process)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon xanthan gum
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter or buttery spread, melted and cooled
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
[1] Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously grease an 8-inch square nonstick pan (gray, not black). In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour blend, cocoa, salt, and xanthan gum until well blended.
[2] In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugars with an electric mixer on Low speed until well combined. Add egg and vanilla; beat until thoroughly combined.
[3] With mixer on Low speed, add the dry ingredients. Mix until just blended. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan.
[4] Bake 18 minutes. Cool brownies before cutting. Makes 16 small bars.
Per brownie: 150 calories; 1g protein; 7 g total fat; 1g fiber; 24g carbohydrates; 27 mg cholesterol; 75 mg sodium
Carol’s Sorghum Blend
1 1/2 cups sorghum flour
1 1/2 cups potato starch
1 cup tapioca starch/flour
Whisk ingredients together until well-blended and store (tightly covered) in a dark, dry place.
