Aunt Zhas's Brownie

1. Personally, I melt the butter and chocolate together.
2. Leave to cool at room temperature while I beat the eggs with the sugar.
3. Mix together and finally add the flour and salt.
4. Bake at 180°C for 30 min (the recipe says 35 min, but somehow it works out for me at only 30).

TO TRY (notes below):

1. Lack of cocoa powder. Most top recipes use a combination of melted chocolate and cocoa powder (usually about 30-50 g). [1, 2]

• The problem: Using only chocolate (especially with the addition of milk chocolate, as in your case) gives a great texture, but the flavour can become too sweet, rather than deep and chocolatey.
• The solution: If it seems too sweet, next time replace 20 g of the flour with 20 g of quality natural cocoa. And I increase the sugar by 20 g. For these proportions, a square 20x20 cm tin is best suited (or a rectangular one of similar area, e.g. 18x22 cm). For a round form it is best to use a tin 22 cm in diameter (or 20 cm if you want a slightly thicker brownie).

On the fan vs. heating elements: It is best to bake it on the top and bottom heating elements (without the fan). Why the heating elements are the better choice: Baking on classic heating elements provides even, gentle heat, which is ideal for the moist texture of the brownie.

• Retains moisture: The fan moves the hot air and dries the surface too quickly. This can dry out the inside of the brownie and turn it into a dry cake.
• Proper crust: On heating elements the sugar and eggs manage to rise slowly and form the perfect thin, glossy cracked crust, without the dessert burning on top.

If you still use the fan: If your oven only has a fan option or you prefer this mode, be sure to make two changes:

1. Lower the temperature: Instead of 180°C, bake at 160°C. The fan intensifies the heat and 180°C will be too much for it.
2. Shorten the time: Check the brownie already at minute 20-22, since with a fan it bakes significantly faster.

2. The amount of sugar is at the lower limit. For 190 g of chocolate and 170 g of butter, 190 g of sugar is a relatively small amount compared to American standards (where the sugar is often double the flour). [1, 2]

• The problem: Sugar in a brownie is not only for sweetness — it is responsible for the moisture and for producing the glossy, cracked crust on top. With less sugar the crust can become more matte.
• The solution: Since you use brown sugar (which retains a lot of moisture) and mix milk with dark chocolate, this compensates for the sweetness. Your proportion is excellent for the European taste, but requires very good beating of the eggs with the sugar to bring out that coveted glossy crust.