Ina Garten Brownie Pudding (Printable View)

Rich chocolate dessert with crackly top and luscious molten center offers indulgent delight.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Chocolate Mixture

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

→ Batter

03 - 4 large eggs, 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 Make It:

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

# Best Practices:

01 -
  • That moment when you crack into the set top and find warm, gooey chocolate pudding waiting underneath is pure chocolate bliss.
  • It looks fancy enough to serve to guests but actually comes together in under 20 minutes of hands-on work.
  • One dessert that somehow feels both elegant and completely unpretentious at the same time.
02 -
  • Do not overbake this. The center should feel soft and slightly jiggly when you test it—it will firm up as it cools, but you want it gooey, not cakey.
  • Room temperature eggs matter because cold eggs won't whip to the same volume, and that air is essential to the final texture and how the pudding forms.
03 -
  • The water bath is non-negotiable, not just for texture but because it ensures even, gentle cooking that prevents the pudding from splitting or cooking unevenly.
  • If your oven tends to bake hot, start checking around 50 minutes rather than waiting the full hour—you want that crackly top with a soft center, not a fully set brownie.
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