Deep-Dish Fudgy Brownies, Gluten Free

Instructions

1. 1

   Heat the oven and line the pan

   Set a rack in the middle of the oven and heat it to 350°F (175°C). Butter an 8-inch square metal pan, then lay in a sling of parchment that runs up two opposite sides with a couple of inches hanging over the edges. That overhang is how you lift the whole slab out later without wrecking the corners. Metal is worth seeking out here; glass and ceramic hold heat differently and will add five to ten minutes to the bake.

2. 2

   Melt the butter and chocolate together

   Combine the butter and chopped bittersweet chocolate in a large heatproof bowl. Microwave in 20-second bursts, stirring between each, until about three-quarters melted, then keep stirring off the heat so the residual warmth finishes the job. You want the mixture smooth, glossy, and warm to the touch but never hot enough to steam.

3. 3

   Stir in both sugars

   Add the granulated and brown sugars to the warm chocolate and stir hard for a full minute. The mixture will look grainy and a little dull, which is exactly right. Warm fat starts breaking the sugar crystals down, and that head start is the first half of the shiny-top equation. Let it sit for five minutes to cool to just barely warm, so the eggs don't scramble on contact.

4. 4

   Whisk in the eggs and vanilla

   Add the eggs, the extra yolk, and the vanilla, then whisk vigorously for a solid two minutes. The sugar dissolves into the water in the egg whites, and the thin foam you build is what bakes into that crackly crust. Gluten-free batters rely on this step even more than wheat ones, since egg structure is doing work the flour can't.

5. 5

   Fold in the dry ingredients

   Sift the gluten-free flour blend, xanthan gum (if your blend doesn't already contain a binder), cocoa powder, espresso powder, and fine salt over the batter. Fold with a spatula just until no dry streaks remain. There's no gluten to overdevelop, but folding gently keeps the foam you just built intact.

6. 6

   Rest the batter

   Cover the bowl and let the batter sit at room temperature for 25 to 30 minutes. This is the step that separates good gluten-free brownies from gritty ones: rice flours and starches drink liquid slowly, and the rest lets them fully hydrate. The batter will thicken visibly and lose any sandy feel when you rub a little between your fingers.

7. 7

   Add the chunks and spread

   Fold in the chocolate chunks, reserving a small handful for the top. Scrape the batter into the pan; it will be stiffer than a wheat batter, so push it into the corners with an offset spatula and smooth the surface flat. Scatter the reserved chocolate over the top and rap the pan once on the counter.

8. 8

   Bake until the center is just set

   Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Gluten-free batter needs a few extra minutes and sets up slightly firmer, so judge by the surface: it should look matte and crackled with edges that have pulled just barely from the parchment, and the center should spring back faintly when pressed. A toothpick should come out with moist crumbs, not clean. Sprinkle with flaky salt right out of the oven.

9. 9

   Cool completely, then cut

   Cool in the pan for at least two hours, and don't shortcut it. Gluten-free brownies are fragile while warm and firm up considerably as the starches set, so they'll seem too soft at first and slice beautifully once cool. Lift out by the parchment and cut into 16 squares, wiping the knife between cuts.

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Baker's Tips

• 1.

  Room-temperature eggs matter more than usual here. Cold eggs cool the batter and keep the sugar from dissolving, which is the most common reason a brownie comes out without its shiny top. Sit them in warm water for ten minutes if you forgot to take them out.

• 2.

  Dutch-process cocoa gives a dark, smooth, almost Oreo-like flavor. Natural cocoa works fine and tastes fruitier and sharper, so use whichever matches the brownie you grew up on.

• 3.

  The espresso powder won't make these taste like coffee. It sharpens the chocolate and makes the whole thing read darker, and a teaspoon is the single cheapest upgrade to any chocolate bake.

• 4.

  Pull them earlier than feels comfortable. Carryover heat keeps cooking the center for several minutes after the pan comes out, so a brownie that looks slightly underdone in the middle is a perfectly fudgy one once cool.

• 5.

  Weigh your flour and cocoa if you have a scale. A heavy-handed cup of flour can add 20 grams, which is the difference between fudgy and dry.

• 6.

  For a walnut or pecan version, toast 3/4 cup of chopped nuts for eight minutes first and fold them in with the chocolate chunks.