French Silk Brownies

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These French Silk Brownies take inspiration from the classic French Silk Pie. By using a brownie base instead of encasing in pie crust, I think the result is so much more decadent. It will also transport so much better, making it a fabulous choice to take to bake sales, work, school, evenings in with the girls, the list is endless.

This recipe starts with my classic brownie base, which gets a lovely, gooey shake up by topping with a thick French silk pie style filling. The texture contrast make for a super delicious bite, either as a snack or a full blown dessert. 

For these brownies, we rely heavily on the melted butter and light brown sugar to give the fudgy texture and super shiny topping. To make the shiny top on a brownie, there are arguments as to whether it’s the egg, or the molten sugar in the butter, so let’s make sure to do both. This recipe cuts neatly into 9 pieces, but could be sliced smaller. Plus, the recipe is easily doubled. They keep well for a few days. That said, they don’t last long if you’ve got lots of happy hungry mouths in the house!

WHEN IT COMES TO MAKING THE BEST BROWNIES, HERE ARE A FEW TIPS TO KEEP IN MIND:

1. Quality Ingredients: Always use high-quality ingredients in your brownie recipe. This includes using good quality chocolate, cocoa powder, and fresh eggs. It will make a noticeable difference in the taste and texture of the brownies.
2. Don’t Overmix: When combining the ingredients, be gentle and avoid overmixing the batter. Overmixing can lead to a denser and tougher texture. Mix until the ingredients are just combined.
3. Proper Pan Size: Use the recommended pan size mentioned in the recipe. Using a smaller or larger pan can affect the baking time and the texture of the brownies. For fudgy and moist brownies, an 8×8-inch square baking pan is usually recommended.
4. Do Not Overbake: Keep a close eye on the brownies while they are baking and avoid overbaking them. A slightly underbaked brownie will be fudgy and moist, while an overbaked one can turn out dry. Insert a toothpick into the center – if it comes out with a few moist crumbs, the brownies are done.
5. Let Them Cool: Allow the brownies to cool completely in the pan before cutting and serving. This helps them to set and ensures that they hold their shape. It also allows the flavors to develop fully.
6. Experiment with Additions: Feel free to get creative with your brownie recipe by changing up the chocolate chips/chocolate chunks, or by adding nuts or fruit. Just make sure not to overload the batter, as it may affect the texture.

Remember, practice makes perfect when it comes to baking brownies. Don’t be afraid to make tweaks and adjustments to the recipe to suit your preferences. You can totally shift the frosting quantity for more or less, just do what suits you! 

INGREDIENTS REQUIRED 

There are no specialist ingredients or equipment required for this bake. I can find everything I need at my local supermarket or grocery store. Also, I use a standard 8 inch square tin for almost all of my traybake recipes for ease. If you do want to convert to 9 inch, you’ll need to play with the quantities a little or they will be too thin. To line a square baking tin, cut two pieces of baking paper that are just narrower than the width of the tin (less than 8 inches wide). Then place one on top of the other in opposite directions, so that all four edges of the tin are covered. This will make removing the bake so much easier! 

• Dark/Semi-Sweet Chocolate, Melted
• Unsalted Butter
• Light Brown Soft Sugar
• Granulated Sugar
• Large Free Range Eggs
• Vanilla Extract
• All Purpose (Plain) Flour
• Cocoa Powder
• Full Fat Cream Cheese
• Heavy Whipping Cream
• Powdered Sugar

TOP TIPS FOR THE BEST French Silk Brownies

• Melted Butter: As mentioned above, this contributes to the shiny top!
• Melted Chocolate: Try to use a higher quality dark chocolate where possible, as this really does contribute to that final flavour.
• Light Brown Sugar and Granulated Sugar: It is the combination of both sugars that creates the fudgy texture and rich flavour.
• Cocoa Powder: Again, where possible try to use a higher quality make. This contributes so much to the flavour and I find some cheap ones really dull the richness! 
• French Silk Topping: To make the topping, combine all of the ingredients (cream cheese, cocoa powder, heavy cream and powdered sugar) until a thick topping forms. Pour it over the brownies and refrigerate until set (about 2 hours). Feel free to top with whipped cream!

For my French Silk Brownies, I use a basic 8′ square pan (I like this one). I also recommend a good stand mixer or high speed mixer (like this one) to make the brownie mixture. If you want more wild brownie recipe ideas, check out my Rocky Road Brownies. For videos and baking inspiration, head on over to my Instagram. If you make this recipe, don’t forget to drop it a star rating, leave a review or share a photo on your socials! 

STORAGE FOR MY French Silk Brownies

Because the frosting is made using lots of butter and cream cheese, you need to store these brownie cups in the refrigerator. Place in an airtight container before placing in the fridge. They will keep for up to 3 days this way. A cake tin is a great option if you have one. These can sit out while you serve and eat, just keep them in the fridge if they will go a while without being eaten.

Alternatively, you can freeze the brownies by themselves before they get filled with the frosting. Completely wrap as tight as you can using cling film/Saran wrap. If you have an airtight container too, place them in there before freezing. Let thaw in the fridge before making the frosting and serving!