Ina Garten Brownie Pudding

Ina Garten brownie pudding from Food Network bakes a rich cocoa batter in a water bath at 325°F until the edges set but the center stays soft like pudding. And the dessert serves 6 at approximately 580 calories per serving in about 1 hour and 15 minutes, since the batter comes together fast and the oven does the rest.

Most brownie recipes bake in a dry oven until a tester comes out clean, but Ina uses a water bath and pulls the dish when the center still looks underbaked. So the edges have a cakey brownie texture while the middle stays molten and spoonable, which is the half-brownie, half-pudding consistency the recipe is named for.

Beating the eggs and sugar on medium-high for a full 5 to 10 minutes until very thick and light yellow is the step that gives the batter its structure. And if you cut the whipping short, the eggs never aerate enough to hold the cocoa and melted butter, so the finished dish bakes flat and dense instead of having that contrast between set edges and soft center.

Source: Ina Garten (Food Network)

Ina Garten Brownie Pudding

Recipe by medshi8Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

1

hour 

Calories

580

kcal

Eggs and sugar whip thick before sifted cocoa and flour fold in with vanilla bean seeds, optional framboise, and cooled melted butter. Then the batter pours into a buttered oval dish set inside a larger pan of hot water and bakes at 325°F for exactly 1 hour.

Ingredients

• For the pudding:
  

• 1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, plus extra for the dish
  

• 4 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
  

• 2 cups sugar
  

• 3/4 cup good cocoa powder
  

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  

• Seeds scraped from 1 vanilla bean
  

• 1 tablespoon framboise liqueur (optional)

• For serving:
  

• Vanilla ice cream

Directions

• Preheat and prep the dish: Heat the oven to 325°F and lightly butter a 2-quart (9x12x2 inch) oval baking dish.
  
• Melt the butter: Then melt the 2 sticks of butter and set aside to cool.
  
• Whip the eggs and sugar: In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs and sugar on medium-high for 5 to 10 minutes until very thick and light yellow.
  
• Sift the dry ingredients: While the eggs whip, sift the cocoa powder and flour together and set aside.
  
• Add the flavorings: Once the eggs are thick, reduce to low speed and add the vanilla bean seeds and framboise if using.
  
• Fold in the dry ingredients: Then add the sifted cocoa and flour mixture and mix only until combined.
  
• Add the butter: Once the dry ingredients are in, slowly pour in the cooled melted butter on low and mix just until combined.
  
• Pour into the dish: Then pour the batter into the prepared oval dish.
  
• Set up the water bath: Once filled, place the dish inside a larger baking pan and add the hottest tap water until it reaches halfway up the sides.
  
• Bake for exactly 1 hour: Then bake until a tester inserted 2 inches from the edge comes out 3/4 clean, with the center still appearing underbaked.
  
• Cool and serve: Once done, let the pudding cool and serve with vanilla ice cream.

FAQs

Why does this bake in a water bath?

The water surrounding the dish keeps the temperature gentle and even, which is what allows the center to stay soft while the edges set. And without the water bath, the direct oven heat bakes the entire surface uniformly, so you lose the pudding-like center that defines this dessert.

Use the hottest tap water you can get, because cold water takes too long to heat up and throws off the 1-hour bake time. And make sure the water reaches halfway up the dish, since too little water does not insulate the bottom enough to keep the center molten.

What can I use instead of a vanilla bean?

One vanilla bean adds tiny seeds throughout the batter that you can see in every spoonful. But 2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract substitutes directly if whole beans are unavailable or too expensive.

And avoid imitation vanilla, because the 1-hour bake concentrates the artificial flavor and it tastes chemical against the cocoa. Since the vanilla is one of only a few ingredients doing all the work, the quality matters more here than in recipes with a longer ingredient list.

Can I skip the framboise liqueur?

The framboise is listed as optional on the recipe, and the brownie pudding tastes rich and chocolatey without it. But the tablespoon of raspberry liqueur adds a subtle fruity note that cuts through the 2 cups of sugar and 2 sticks of butter.

And Chambord or any raspberry liqueur works as a swap, since the flavor profile is nearly identical. But do not substitute a non-fruit liqueur like bourbon or rum, because those spirits change the character of the dessert entirely.

How do I know when it is done if the center looks underbaked?

Ina says to insert a tester 2 inches from the edge, and it should come out 3/4 clean at that spot. And the center is supposed to look very underbaked, because this dessert lives between a brownie and a pudding on purpose.

So trust the edge test and the exact 1-hour timer, because overbaking turns the whole dish into a dry brownie with no pudding center. And the ina garten lemon bars use a similar trust-the-wobble approach, where pulling the filling while the center still jiggles gives the best set after cooling.

What should I serve alongside this?

Vanilla ice cream is Ina’s pairing, and the cold cream melting into the warm chocolate center is the whole point of the dish. And a dollop of unsweetened whipped cream works if you want something lighter than ice cream.

But avoid chocolate sauce or caramel on top, because 2 cups of sugar and 3/4 cup of cocoa already make each spoonful intensely sweet and rich. And for a full Barefoot Contessa dessert spread, pair this with the ina garten coconut cake, since the light, tropical frosting contrasts the dense, warm chocolate.