Ina Garten Brownie Pudding (Printer-Friendly)

Decadent chocolate dessert featuring a crackly top and soft, molten center.

# What You Need:

→ Chocolate Mixture

01 - 8 oz unsalted butter
02 - 6 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped

→ Batter

03 - 4 large eggs, at room temperature
04 - 2 cups granulated sugar
05 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
06 - 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
07 - 2 tsp vanilla extract
08 - 1/4 tsp kosher salt

→ For Serving (optional)

09 - Vanilla ice cream or lightly sweetened whipped cream

# How to Cook:

01 - Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter a 2-quart baking dish and set aside.
02 - Combine butter and chopped semisweet chocolate in a heatproof bowl over simmering water. Stir until smooth and remove from heat to cool slightly.
03 - Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat eggs and sugar on medium-high speed for 5 to 10 minutes until thick, pale, and ribbon-like.
04 - Lower mixer speed to low. Add vanilla extract and salt, then pour in the cooled chocolate mixture. Mix until just combined.
05 - Sift together flour and cocoa powder. Gently fold into the batter using a spatula until just incorporated.
06 - Pour batter into prepared baking dish. Place baking dish inside a larger roasting pan and add hot water halfway up the sides of the baking dish to create a water bath. Bake for 1 hour until the top is set and crackly but the center remains soft and pudding-like.
07 - Remove baking dish from water bath and cool at least 15 minutes. Serve warm, optionally with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It looks impressive enough to serve to guests but forgiving enough that even a slightly imperfect bake tastes phenomenal.
  • The contrast between the crackly brownie top and that gooey center is genuinely addictive—you'll find yourself making this when you want to feel a little special.
02 -
  • The pudding center is intentional—resist the urge to bake it longer just because it looks gooey in the middle; trust the process and your timer.
  • Letting it cool for at least 15 minutes is essential; it firms up slightly and becomes infinitely easier to serve without losing that luscious center.
03 -
  • Room temperature eggs beat to much greater volume, so don't skip this detail; cold eggs resist incorporation and create a denser cake.
  • The water bath is non-negotiable if you want that special pudding center—without it, you'll get a good brownie but you'll miss the whole point.
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