Eggless Fudgy Nutella Brownies
All the Nutella lovers out there, we have got the ultimate Nutella filled Chocolate Brownies for you! And yes, it’s eggless!
Is there anything better than a chocolate brownie? Yes, we do! with Nutella as center filling, you can upgrade a simple chocolate brownie into a premium decadent dessert!
Taste and texture of the brownie
Brownies are loved by everyone. But some like cakey brownies, some fudgy and some like both!
This particular brownie is fudgy yet a bit cakey at the same time! You ask how? The brownie is slightly more fudgy with the Nutella filling. However without the filling as well, the brownie will have 70% fudgy texture and 30% cakey texture as it has more fat content!
As far as taste is concerned, definitely you will get the best of both hazelnut and chocolate flavor.
Key ingredients used for the recipe and their relevance
Making Brownies can sometimes be a bit tricky. Let’s see which ingredients are important for this recipe so that you get the perfect Brownies every time you bake!
Butter– the role of fat in making Brownies is very important. To get the richness and smooth texture, fat plays a major role. However the amount of fat going in also matters as it decides the final texture of the product. More fat would give more fudgy texture.
Natural Cocoa Powder– the main chocolate flavor in a brownie comes from the type of cocoa powder used. We have used natural cocoa powder in the recipe which is less bitter in taste and more acidic as compared to Dutch processed cocoa powder.
Chocolate– apart from cocoa powder, another ingredient used to give chocolatey flavor is chocolate itself. when added into the batter, it makes the brownie more rich and fudgy.
Curd– since the recipe is eggless, curd is used to provide soft texture. Curd reacts with baking powder and helps in incorporating more air into the batter.
Condensed milk – time and again, condensed milk proves to be a great substitute (sometimes better) for eggs. It acts as Emulsifier, adds caramelized flavor and sweetness to the Brownies.
Come, let’s see how to make this delicious Brownie! Below you will find the list of ingredients required for this recipe followed by equipment you will need and the detailed explanation of the method.
All Ingredient List for Making Fudgy Nutella Brownies
Ingredient for the brownie
| Ingredients for brownie | Quantity |
|---|---|
|
All-purpose flour |
60 g |
|
Castor sugar |
35 g |
|
Brown sugar |
20 g |
|
Salted butter |
80 g |
|
Natural cocoa powder |
25 g |
|
Salt |
A pinch |
|
Full cream milk |
60 ml |
|
Curd |
40 g |
|
Baking powder |
1/8 tsp |
|
Condensed milk |
40 g |
|
Dark couverture chocolate (chopped) |
50 g |
|
Nutella |
225 g |
|
Hazelnuts (cut in half) |
As required |
All equipment needed for the recipe
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Digital kitchen weighing scale
- Bowls and spoons
- Spatula
- Sieve
- 5-inch square aluminum tins (2 nos.)
- Knife
- Butter paper
- Oven/OTG
- Microwave
Let’s look at the steps on how to make the white forest cake!
Steps to prepare fudgy nutella brownie
For brownie:
- Line a 5 inch square tin with butter paper hanging out from the sides for the Nutella. Pour and evenly spread Nutella in the tin. Freeze till it sets.
- Pre heat the oven at 180C (OTG mode: upper rod +lower rod +fan). Grease and line another 5 inch square tin with butter paper.
- In a bowl, take melted butter. Add both castor and brown sugar to it.
- Now add curd and condensed milk and mix this properly.
- Into this mixture, add sifted flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Combine to
make a smooth lump free batter. - Lastly, add in the milk and chopped chocolate. Mix well.
- Transfer half the batter into the lined tin. Now de-mould and place the frozen Nutella on the
batter. Once done, pour the remaining brownie batter over the Nutella. Garnish the top with some half cut hazelnuts. - Bake at 180C for 25-30 minutes (OTG mode: lower rod only)
- Once baked, let the brownie cool. Chill for sometime in refrigerator and then cut into 4
portions.
Chef's Tip And Key Points
- When mixing the batter, make sure that there no lumps left. If these lumps remain in the batter, the flour/cocoa powder will in it will remain uncooked and will leave a bad after-taste of the brownie.
- Baking of the brownie is very crucial. If you under bake the brownie, it will taste raw/sticky and will not have a good structure. Whereas if it’s overcooked, it may taste burnt! Make sure to do the toothpick test to check if the brownie is done. You may see some cooked crumbs on toothpick.
- You can use the same recipe to make in a different form of brownie. For eg, in case you don’t want it centre filled, you can pour the entire batter at once and on top put dollops of Nutella. Use toothpick to give Swirl effect.
- You can also add any other topping like walnuts or almonds in place of hazelnuts.
Frequently Asked Questions
In this section, we will discuss some of the commonly asked questions about Brownies!
Q1. What makes a brownie fudgy or cakey?
Ans. Fudgy Brownies have more fat content which comes from butter(sometimes oil) and chocolate. Whereas cakey brownies have higher flour ratio and less fat. Baking powder makes the brownie more fluffy and light in texture.
Q2.What is better, oil or butter, in Brownies?
Ans. Both types of fats can be used in making Brownies. However, butter provides more airation to the batter making it more cakey. So if you want to make a complete gooey textured fudgy brownie then using oil would be better.
Q3. Do Brownies need baking powder or baking soda?
Ans. Brownies generally don’t need much of leavening agent unless you want to have cakey texture. In that case baking powder is preferred to give more rise to the batter.
In other cases, baking soda soda might be used. Also, most egg recipes don’t even ask for either of the two as egg itself acts as the rising agent.
Q4. How to get crinkle on top of Brownies?
Ans. Generally it’s easier to get a crinkly top with egg Brownies. The more you beat the batter after eggs are added the more chances of getting a good crinkle top.
With eggless Brownies, it’s the curd that helps in aeration of the batter and then once Brownies are baked and cooled, you can get a crinkle top!
Q5. Why do Brownies sometimes taste bitter?
Ans. There can be two reasons for the Brownies to taste bitter.
One, the quantity of cocoa powder used (especially Dutch processed) is more or that the sugar added is less. This would mean that the recipe is less sweet and has more dark chocolate flavor.
The other reason could be overbaking. Brownies can easily be over baked and that may result in burnt bottom or sides. This will make the brownie taste bitter.
Q6. When should you cut the brownie?
Ans. Brownies are quite fragile, whether cakey or fudgy. So before slicing the brownie, always cool it completely. You may also want to chill it in the refrigerator for sometime and then cut into pieces. This will ensure that the portions do not crumble.
Q7. Why do Brownies sink in the middle?
Ans. Some brownie recipes do have a tendency to sink from the center. This is because it has more fat than flour, so the structure can sometimes be weak.
One of the other reason can be under baking the brownies. The center of any baking product gets baked at the end. So if the edges are done and you take them out, it will have undercooked center and the brownie will sink. Always make sure to do toothpick test from the center.
High oven temperature can also make the Brownies rise to quickly and deflate them later. So make sure to use oven thermometer to monitor correct temperature needed.
Q8. Can you use hot chocolate powder instead of cocoa powder in the brownies?
Ans. We would not recommend you to do this. Cocoa powder is purely made from cocoa beans whereas hot chocolate is made from powdered milk, sugar and chocolate. Using hot chocolate will alter the taste and texture of the brownies.
Q9. Why is melted butter used in making Brownies?
Ans. Butter can be used either in melted form or softened. The latter will be used in making cakey brownie as butter when beaten will incorporate more air. The former, ie the melted butter is used to make dense, fudgy brownie and also helps in making the chocolate flavor stronger.
Q10. Can I use this recipe to make other variations of brownie?
Ans. Definitely yes! If you want fudgy texture but different flavor than Nutella, then you can use the brownie recipe. For eg, to make simple brownies, just add chopped walnuts. You can use milk chocolate in place of dark chocolate. Peanut butter can also be used in place of Nutella either as filling or as swirl on top.