Parchment Paper Is The Ultimate Brownie Baking Hack
If you had to choose between chewy or softer fudge-like brownies, which one speaks more to your sweet tooth? Truth be told, brownies are one of those decadent desserts that can be made in a variety of ways depending on how you like the texture of these baked chocolate treats. Land O Lakes explains how a brownie denoting a chewier texture is typically made with less dry ingredients and an additional egg, while MasterClass claims the texture debate comes down to the measurement specificities of white and brown sugar.
Forbes divulges on the purposeful beginning of brownies before becoming a common household confection. In 1893, philanthropist Bertha Palmer directed Chicago's Palmer House chefs to create an easily packable, lunch-friendly dessert for members of the Women's Pavilion in preparation for the Colombian Expedition. While the first brownie was packed with walnuts and topped with an apricot glaze, there are certain elements of the original brownie people still appreciate today.
You might have missed National Brownie Day which happened to fall on December 8th, but that doesn't change National Today's revelation that 36% of brownie lovers still long for those immensely chewy textured edges only brownies can provide. To produce more of those crinkled edges, when making your favorite brownie recipe you could follow Land O Lakes' suggestion and grease only the bottom of your square pan, or you can take things up a notch and give parchment paper a try.
Why bake with parchment paper?
Parchment paper is a unique oven-friendly paper sold as a roll or in sheets near plastic wrap and foil in every major grocery store. What makes this paper so user-friendly is that it not only resists grease and water, but parchment paper can also handle temperatures up to 450 degrees (via Martha Stewart). This magical paper is highly regarded by avid bakers for many reasons. For one, it streamlines the baking process and allows you to save time because by allotting dough to sheets ahead of time, you can prep all of your cookie dough balls and bake whenever the mood strikes.
Not all kitchen papers are created equal though. The Pioneer Woman swears by parchment paper because it not only prevents stickiness, but the paper itself regulates the temperature of your baking sheets, making sure all points are cooking at an even degree. If you ever wondered about the difference between parchment paper and wax paper, wax paper can't handle heat due to a thin wax coating on either side of the paper. While both have designated uses, chef Ronna Welsh told Martha Stewart she only uses parchment since it does the job for most cooking-related tasks. Back to your next batch of brownies, parchment paper can offer more than just convenience.
Streamline your brownie-making process with parchment paper
There are many different variables to consider when crafting the perfect brownie. Hersheyland uncovers the biggest conundrums in brownie baking and apart from using metal or glass pans and whether or not cocoa powder is better than melted chocolate, the question of greasing or lining brownie pans is also noted. If perfectly sized squares are what you're after, simply line a baking pan with overhung parchment and lift the baked treats right out of the pan once cooked. Then simply cool and slice into neat squares. The Pioneer Woman agrees with the use of parchment for brownies but also suggests using a knife and wet paper towel between cuts if neat edges are of prime importance.
Aside from trying out parchment paper with your next round of chocolate chip cookie brownies, when making a more traditional recipe, there are a few key steps you should always follow if you desire that signature flaky topping. According to King Arthur Baking Company, in order to create that one-of-a-kind texture variance in a typical brownie, melted butter and sugar are key, along with the addition of real chocolate. MasterClass suggests amping up your everyday brownie recipe with espresso powder, rich buttercream frosting, or even adding a swirl of your favorite mix-in before baking such as toasted nuts or fruit jam. Regardless of which brownie recipe you follow, using parchment paper makes for an easy clean-up and neat brownie portions so everyone can enjoy.