Ina Garten Brownie Pudding (Print Version)

A rich chocolate dessert with crackly top and luscious molten center. Perfect for indulgence.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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 Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter a 2-quart baking dish and set aside.
02 - Melt butter and chopped semisweet chocolate together in a heatproof bowl set over simmering water, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
03 - Using a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat eggs and sugar on medium-high speed for 5 to 10 minutes until thick, pale, and ribbon-like.
04 - Lower mixer speed to low. Add vanilla extract and kosher salt, then gradually mix in the cooled chocolate mixture until just combined.
05 - Sift together flour and cocoa powder. Gently fold into batter with a spatula until just incorporated.
06 - Pour batter into prepared baking dish. Place the dish inside a larger roasting pan and add hot water to reach halfway up the sides of the baking dish. Bake for 1 hour until top is set and crackly but center remains soft and pudding-like.
07 - Remove baking dish from water bath and cool for at least 15 minutes. Serve warm, optionally accompanied by vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

# Helpful Tips:

01 -
  • The texture is genuinely surprising—crispy edges that give way to warm, fudgy pudding that feels like cheating.
  • It's fancy enough to serve at dinner parties but simple enough that you won't stress about it while guests arrive.
  • The kitchen smells like pure chocolate for hours afterward, which honestly might be the best part.
02 -
  • That soft center isn't undercooked—it's the whole point, and pulling it out a minute too late loses what makes this special.
  • Room-temperature eggs and chocolate actually melted (not rushed) over heat make the difference between silky and grainy texture.
  • A water bath looks fancy but it's actually protecting your dessert; it conducts heat more gently and prevents the sides from overbaking.
03 -
  • Bring eggs to room temperature by letting them sit out for an hour, or submerge them in warm water for five minutes—cold eggs won't whip into ribbons.
  • The sift isn't optional: it aerates the flour and cocoa, preventing lumps that could break your silky texture.
  • Watch the center jiggle when you shake the pan rather than relying on a timer—every oven bakes differently, and that slight wobble tells you it's perfect.
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