Bakers can follow one simple trick to upgrade a boxed brownie mix. Simply Recipes shared tips to improve the supermarket staple, saying they can be “just as good as brownies made from scratch, if not better”.
Home-brand brownie mixes are available at most supermarkets for between £1.19 at Aldi and £3 at M&S. Many require buyers to add water, eggs, and oil to the dry mixture to make the batter. But Simply Recipes said you “don’t always have to follow the directions on the box”, encouraging bakers to swap in another ingredient. The site said to swap out oil for the richer and flavourful fat of butter. Browning the butter is also recommended, which creates a nutty flavour by heating butter until the milk solids turn a deep golden brown. To do this, melt butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat, and stir or swirl it constantly until it foams and then becomes fragrant and a golden brown colour. Remove from the heat immediately once the desired colour is reached, and transfer to a heat-proof bowl to prevent it from burning.
The site also said to swap out water for the same amount of coffee, milk, coconut milk, or even red wine. This can help add dimension and flavour to the box mix.
Including another egg yolk or two can also improve the brownies, by giving them a fudgier texture that box mixs can often be missing.
Simply Recipes also recommended adding a few pinches of salt on top of the brownies once the batter is in the pan. Salt enhances the natural flavours and sweetness in chocolate and suppresses its bitterness.
The site also urged bakers to add to the batter, such as swirls of Nutella, peanut butter, caramel, or cream cheese. Also recommended was fruit (raspberries, strawberries, or even jam) and topping it with chocolate ganache.
Brownies continue to cook as they cool. Take them out of the oven when a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with moist crumbs attached, not wet batter or completely clean. The edges should be set, and the top may have a slight wobble.
Fudgy brownies need time to set. For the best results, let them cool completely in the pan (ideally for several hours or even overnight) before slicing. Chilling them slightly can also aid in getting clean, neat slices.
