Alice Rose The perfect brownie has a thin, shiny, crackled crust on top and a dense, fudgy centre underneath, and it’s surprisingly easy to get wrong in either direction.
Overbake them, and they turn dry and cakey; underbake them, and they sink into a gooey, uncooked middle. The difference between the two is often only a couple of minutes in the oven.
This recipe uses real melted dark chocolate for depth, and beats the eggs and sugar well, which is the secret to that glossy, crackled top that people love.
Why Beating the Eggs and Sugar Gives Brownies Their Crackled Top
That thin, shiny, papery crust on a good brownie comes from the sugar dissolving into the eggs and rising to the surface during baking, where it forms a delicate meringue-like layer.
Beating the eggs and sugar together for several minutes, until pale, thick and glossy, dissolves the sugar thoroughly and builds this structure, so the crackle forms naturally as the brownies bake.
Skipping this step, or simply stirring the eggs and sugar together, leaves undissolved sugar granules in the batter, which results in a dull, flat top with no crackle.
Using a good proportion of chocolate to flour gives the brownies their characteristic dense, fudgy texture, rather than the lighter, more cake-like crumb of a recipe with more flour.
Ingredients for Gordon Ramsay Chocolate Brownies
- 200g dark chocolate (70% cocoa), chopped
- 175g unsalted butter, cubed
- 3 large eggs
- 200g caster sugar
- 100g light brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 100g plain flour
- 30g cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 100g dark chocolate chunks or walnuts (optional)
How to Make Gordon Ramsay Chocolate Brownies — Step by Step
Step 1 — Preheat and Prepare
Preheat the oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / Gas 4. Grease and line a 20cm square tin with baking parchment, leaving an overhang for lifting out.
Step 2 — Melt the Chocolate and Butter
Melt the chocolate and butter together in a heatproof bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, stirring until smooth. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
Step 3 — Beat the Eggs and Sugars
In a large bowl, beat the eggs, caster sugar, brown sugar and vanilla with an electric whisk for 5–8 minutes, until pale, thick and tripled in volume.
Step 4 — Combine
Pour the cooled chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and fold gently until combined.
Step 5 — Add the Dry Ingredients
Sift in the flour, cocoa powder and salt. Fold gently until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chunks or walnuts, if using.
Step 6 — Bake
Pour into the prepared tin and smooth the top. Bake for 25–30 minutes, until the top is set and crackled and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out with a few moist crumbs.
Step 7 — Cool
Cool completely in the tin before lifting out and cutting into squares, as the brownies continue to set as they cool.
My Top Tips for the Best Gordon Ramsay Chocolate Brownies
Beat the eggs and sugar for the full time, as this is what creates the glossy, crackled top.
Take the brownies out while the centre is still slightly soft, as they continue to set as they cool, and overbaking makes them dry and cakey.
Let the melted chocolate cool slightly before adding it to the eggs, as hot chocolate can start to cook them.
Fold in the flour gently and only until just combined, as overmixing develops the gluten and makes the brownies tough.
Cool them completely before cutting, since warm brownies are too soft to slice cleanly.
Serving Suggestions
Serve at room temperature with a cup of coffee, or warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of chocolate sauce for a more indulgent dessert.
How to Store Gordon Ramsay Chocolate Brownies
In the fridge: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days, or in the fridge for up to a week for an extra-fudgy texture.
In the freezer: Freeze well for up to 3 months, either whole or cut into squares. Defrost at room temperature.
Gordon Ramsay Chocolate Brownies Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / Gas 4. Line a 20cm tin.
- Melt chocolate and butter over simmering water, cool slightly.
- Beat eggs, sugars and vanilla 5–8 minutes until pale and thick.
- Fold in the chocolate mixture.
- Sift in flour, cocoa and salt, fold gently. Add chunks or nuts.
- Bake 25–30 minutes until set and crackled, centre still slightly soft.
- Cool completely in the tin before cutting.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions About Gordon Ramsay Chocolate Brownies
Why is my brownie top not crackled?
This usually means the eggs and sugar weren’t beaten for long enough. Beat until pale, thick and tripled in volume for that shiny, crackled top.
How do I know when brownies are done?
A skewer inserted into the centre should come out with a few moist crumbs on it, not wet batter and not completely clean. The edges should be set and the top crackled.
Why are my brownies cakey rather than fudgy?
This is usually from overbaking, or from too much flour. Take them out while the centre is still slightly soft, and measure the flour carefully.
Can I make these gluten-free?
Yes — replace the plain flour with a gluten-free plain flour blend, using the same quantity, for a good result.
