Dark Chocolate Fudgy Brownies

Dark Chocolate Fudgy Brownies are made with black cocoa powder and covered in two forms of chocolate ganache to create a decadent dessert. This will be your preferred brownie recipe, especially if you have a wicked sweet tooth or are obsessed with chocolate. Milk- be it cow’s milk or plant-based- to go with these luscious brownies is highly recommended.

What Are Brownies?

Brownies are cookies made with chocolate or cocoa powder mixed with melted butter and sugar that are later combined with eggs and flour before being baked in a dish. Brownies are often mislabeled as bar cookies, which isn’t a big deal, but they’re actually sheet cookies because of how they are baked. The terms are interchangeable these days, however. 

You can make brownies with chopped chocolate bars, cocoa powder, or even without cocoa- but those are blondies. These dark chocolate fudgy, gooey brownies use cocoa powder with added espresso to create an extremely rich chocolaty flavor. 

What Do I Need to Make These Dark Chocolate Fudgy Brownies?

The ingredients in dark chocolate fudgy brownies are unsalted butter, granulated sugar, kosher salt, black cocoa powder (or dutch-processed cocoa powder), brewed and cooled espresso or coffee, vanilla extract, room-temperature eggs, and all-purpose flour. 

I mix the brownie batter with a whisk and rubber spatula. You’ll bake the brownies in an 8 x 8-inch or 9 x 9-inch square pan. We’ll talk more about the ganache layers later. 

Can I Make These Dark Chocolate Brownies Dairy-Free?

The melted butter and sugar to flour ratio creates the fudgy texture of these brownies. 

Melt the unsalted butter over medium heat. Add the sugar and kosher salt to the pot once most of the butter is melted. Decrease the stove to medium-low heat. Stir the butter and sugar mixture with a whisk for 2 1/2 minutes. You don’t have to stir constantly, but you should stir often. The sugar will begin to melt into the butter and create what looks like sludge in the pot. 

To make dairy-free brownies, replace the butter with vegetable or canola oil. Using vegetable oil makes your brownies even fudgier, but you’ll sacrifice the amazing taste that butter gives them. You also need to skip out on the ganache later. 

What’s the Difference Between Black Cocoa Powder and Regular Cocoa?

Whisk the black cocoa powder into the pot once that sludge forms. Remove the pot from the stove and set it on a trivet on the counter. Allow the mixture to cool for a full five minutes. 

Black cocoa powder is more alkalized than regular cocoa powder, which causes it to have a black appearance and makes it less acidic. It is still a natural cocoa powder even though the color is darker. The more alkalized the cocoa powder is, the less chocolaty it tastes. In this recipe, that’s a good thing because we’re topping our brownies with so much more chocolate. You can cut the amount of black cocoa in half and replace it with regular dutch-processed cocoa. This will give your brownies a rich chocolate flavor, but may be a bit over-the-top. 

What Does the Espresso to the Flavor of Dark Chocolate Fudgy Brownies?

Add the cool espresso and vanilla extract to the pot with the rest of the ingredients. Use your whisk or a wooden spoon to stir everything together until the mixture looks velvety smooth. 

Espresso brings out the flavor of chocolate when you add it to chocolate recipes. I make mine with espresso powder because it’s easier to store in the pantry. You can substitute the espresso with strong coffee. Just make sure it’s cool before adding it to the pot. 

What’s the Difference Between Cake, Fudgy, and Chewy Brownies?

Quickly whisk the eggs, one at a time, into the chocolate mixture. Add the next egg only after fully incorporating the previous one. It’s important that your chocolate mixture is warm and that you whisk in your eggs quickly. Brownie mix that is too hot curdles the eggs, so working fast is important.

Use a fine-mesh sieve to sift the flour into the pot with the rest of the ingredients. 

There are three types of brownies: cake, fudgy, and chewy. The difference between the three brownies results from the sugar and fat ratio to flour. These dark chocolate fudgy brownies rest between fudgy and chewy because of the higher ratio of butter and sugar. I don’t like or eat cake brownies because I love myself.  

How Long Do I Bake the Brownies?

Use a rubber spatula or a whisk to blend the flour into the chocolate mixture for about 1 minute. 

Scrape the brownie batter into the lightly-greased baking pan. I line my brownie pan with parchment paper after greasing it because I want clean edges. This isn’t a must, though.

Bake the brownies at 350°F (177°C) for 40 minutes. The center of the brownie will rise slightly, but this will deflate once it’s out of the oven. Brownies are done baking when the edges look dry and pull away from the sides of the pan slightly. You can’t use the “toothpick test” on fudgy brownies because the center of the pan will be slightly gooey when it comes out of the oven.

What is Chocolate Ganache?

What makes this brownie recipe decadent is the addition of chocolate ganache in two forms: whipped into frosting and a fluid sauce. 

Chocolate ganache is a dessert sauce made by melting semi-sweet or dark chocolate and heavy cream together and mixing them until smooth and shiny. Some people make their ganache over a double-boiler, but I cheat by heating the cream in the microwave and pouring it over the chopped chocolate. Chocolate ganache can take many forms: a fluid sauce, cooled until thick enough to spread, whipped until light and fluffy, or chilled and scooped. The latter method is how you make truffles. 

Ganache is made with semi-sweet or dark chocolate, heavy cream, and cognac or vanilla extract. 

How Far Ahead Can I Make the Ganache?

Heat the heavy cream in a microwave-safe pitcher for 1 1/2 minutes. Ensure the pitcher has about 4 inches of headspace if the cream starts boiling.

Stir the cognac (or vanilla extract) into the heavy cream with a whisk. Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate in a large bowl and allow it to sit for 5 minutes. This gives the cream time to melt the chunks of chocolate.

Stir the chocolate and cream together until smooth after 5 minutes.

You can make chocolate ganache up to 1 week before you use it. Store prepared chocolate ganache in an airtight food container in the fridge. You’ll probably have to heat it over a double-boiler to melt it again. Set a metal or glass mixing bowl over a pot of simmering water to do this. Make sure the water isn’t touching the bottom of the bowl. As the ganache melts, use your whisk to stir to combine it into a smooth sauce. 

For now, separate 1 cup of the chocolate ganache into a medium bowl from the rest of the ganache. This cup will be the fluid ganache.

How Long Do I Whip the Ganache?

To make whipped chocolate ganache, allow the ganache to cool completely to room temperature. If it’s a hot day, put it in the fridge for 10 minutes. 

Use the beater attachment of a hand mixer to whip the ganache on medium-high speed for 2 to 3 minutes. The ganache will go from a dark brown color to a light, nutty brown color (similar to milk chocolate) and look fluffy. 

Do I Have to Cover My Dark Chocolate Brownies in Ganache?

Use an offset spatula to spread the whipped chocolate ganache over the surface of the completely cool brownies. 

You don’t have to top your brownies with whipped ganache. You can just cover it with the fluid ganache, or leave your brownies naked. 

How Long Do I Reheat the Ganache to Make it Pourable?

Before serving:

1. Heat the reserved chocolate ganache in the microwave for 15 seconds.
2. Stir to make sure it’s fluid and pourable.
3. Hit it with a 10-second blast of heat if it isn’t.

Drizzle the fluid chocolate ganache over the whipped ganache, and your dark chocolate fudgy brownies are ready to serve. You can also leave them with just their whipped ganache topping. 

How Do I Serve the Brownies?

I’m not a huge fan of milk, but these dark chocolate fudgy brownies really benefit from it. They are so rich and decadent, so serve yours with a glass of ice-cold milk. You can also use these as the base for a brownie sundae, albeit an indulgent sundae. This Vanilla Frozen Custard is the best for sundaes. If you opt for a sundae, use the ganache sauce as hot fudge and life will be beyond amazing. By the way, frozen brownies are amazing for ice cream sandwiches.

How Do I Store the Dark Chocolate Fudgy Brownies?

Store homemade brownies in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature. You can also store them in the fridge, but I’m not a huge fan of biting into ice-cold brownies. 

Can I Freeze Brownies?

To freeze brownies, bake them in a freezer-safe container. Once cool, wrap the dish containing the frosted brownies in a layer of plastic wrap, followed by a layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil. 

You can freeze brownies for up to 2 months. To thaw them, remove the dish from the freezer and thaw them at room temperature. 

 I guarantee this Dark Chocolate Fudgy Brownie is the best brownie recipe you’ll find. It beats those brownie mixes or boxed mix brownies, for sure. Bake a pan for yourself and let me know in the comments below if it’s one of the best chocolate desserts you’ve tried. Don’t forget to share this recipe with your friends and family, too!

Dark Chocolate Fudgy Brownies

Marta Rivera at Sense & Edibility

5 from 17 votes

Dark Chocolate Fudgy Brownies are made with black cocoa powder and covered in two forms of chocolate ganache to create a decadent dessert.

Servings: 9

Print Pin Recipe SaveSaved!

Prep Time 40 minutes mins

Cook Time 50 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Equipment

• 8x8-inch baking dish
• whisk
• fine mesh sieve
• electric hand mixer

Ingredients

  

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For the Dark Chocolate Fudgy Brownies

• 2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cup or 285 grams) unsalted butter sliced
• 2 cups (425 grams) granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon (6 grams) kosher salt
• 3/4 cup (80 grams) black cocoa powder or dutch-processed cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) espresso cooled
• 1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs at room temperature
• 1 cup (130 grams) all-purpose flour

For the Chocolate Ganache

• 1 cup (250 milliters) heavy cream
• 2 cups, chopped (340 grams) semi-sweet chocolate
• 2 teaspoons (10 milliliters) cognac or vanilla extract

Instructions 

• Preheat an oven to 350°F (177°C).

  Lightly grease an 8 x 8-inch baking dish with baking spray and set it aside.

Make the Brownie Batter

• In a 3-quart saucier, melt the unsalted butter over medium heat.

  Add the sugar and kosher salt to the pot once most of the butter is melted.
• Decrease the temperature to medium-low.

  Stir the butter and sugar mixture with a whisk for 2 1/2 minutes, stirring often. The sugar will begin to melt into the butter and create what looks like sludge in the pot. 
• Whisk the black cocoa powder into the pot once that sludge forms.

  Remove the pot from the stove and set it on a trivet on the counter. Allow the mixture to cool for a full 5 minutes. 
• Add the espresso and vanilla extract to the pot with the rest of the ingredients.

  Use a whisk to stir everything together until the mixture looks velvety smooth. 
• Quickly whisk the eggs, one at a time, into the chocolate mixture.

  Add the next egg only after fully incorporating the previous one.  
• Use a fine-mesh sieve to sift the all-purpose flour into the pot with the rest of the ingredients. 

  Use a rubber spatula or a whisk to blend the flour into the chocolate mixture for about 1 minute. 

  Scrape the brownie batter into the prepared baking dish.

  Bake the brownies at 350°F (177°C) for 40 minutes.

Prepare the Ganache While the Brownies Bake

• Heat the heavy cream for 1 1/2 minutes in a microwave-safe pitcher with at least 4 inches of headspace in case the cream boils.

  Stir the cognac into the heavy cream with a whisk.
• Place the chopped chocolate into a 3-quart mixing bowl and pour the hot cream over it.

  Allow the cream and chocolate to sit for 5 minutes to melt the chocolate.

  Stir the chocolate and cream together until smooth after 5 minutes.
• Remove 1 cup of the chocolate ganache from the rest of the ganache. This cup will be the fluid ganache.

  Allow the ganache to cool completely to room temperature.

Cool the Brownies

• When done baking, the center of the brownies will have a slight bulge, but this will deflate once it's out of the oven.

  The brownies are done baking when the edges look dry and pull away from the pan slightly.

  Allow the brownies to cool completely, or for about 30 minutes.

Whip the Chocolate Ganache

• Use the beater attachment of a hand mixer to whip the larger quantity of ganache on medium-high speed for 2 to 3 minutes.

  The ganache will go from a dark brown color to a light, nutty brown color and look fluffy. 

Frost the Brownies and Serve

• Use an offset spatula to spread the whipped chocolate ganache over the surface of the completely cool brownies. 

  *Chill the brownies if it's a really hot day for 10-15 minutes to firm up the ganache.
• Heat the reserved chocolate ganache in the microwave for 15 seconds. Stir to make sure it's fluid and pourable. Heat it again for 10-second intervals if it isn't.

  Drizzle the fluid chocolate ganache over the whipped ganache, and your dark chocolate fudgy brownies are ready to serve.

Notes

Swaps and Substitutions:

• To make dairy-free brownies: replace the butter with vegetable or canola oil. You also need to omit the ganache. 
• You can cut the amount of black cocoa in half and replace it with regular dutch-processed cocoa. This will give your brownies a more chocolaty flavor.
• You can substitute the espresso with strong coffee.
• Replace the semi-sweet chocolate with dark chocolate.

Tips and Techniques:

• It's important that your chocolate mixture is warm and that you whisk in your eggs quickly. Brownie mix that is too hot curdles the eggs, so working fast is important.
• Line the brownie pan with parchment paper after greasing it because to get clean edges on your brownies.
• You can't use the "toothpick test" on fudgy brownies because the center will be slightly gooey when it comes out of the oven.
• If it's a hot day, put the ganache for whipping in the fridge for 10 minutes to firm up a little bit. 
• You don't have to top your brownies with any of the ganache. You can just cover it with the whipped or fluid ganache, or leave the brownies naked. 

Make Ahead Ganache:

• You can make chocolate ganache up to 1 week before you use it.
• Store prepared chocolate ganache in an airtight food container in the fridge.
• To melt it again:
  1. Set a metal or glass mixing bowl over a pot of simmering water. Make sure the water isn't touching the bottom of the bowl.
  2. As the ganache melts, use your whisk to stir to combine it into a smooth sauce. 

Storage Instructions:

• Store brownies in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature.
• You can also store them in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Freezing Instructions:

1. To freeze brownies, bake them in a freezer-safe dish.
2. Once cool, wrap the dish containing the frosted brownies in a layer of plastic wrap, followed by a layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil.
3. Freeze the brownies for up to 2 months.
4. To thaw them, remove the dish from the freezer and thaw them at room temperature.

Nutrition

Calories: 798kcalCarbohydrates: 117gProtein: 14gFat: 35gSaturated Fat: 20gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 116mgSodium: 264mgPotassium: 916mgFiber: 12gSugar: 73gVitamin A: 540IUVitamin C: 0.2mgCalcium: 102mgIron: 8mg

Course Dessert

Cuisine North American

Keyword brownies, chocolate, chocolate ganache

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