Let Me Tell You About the Day I Discovered Gooey Brownies

So, here’s the thing: I did not grow up baking. Actually, my first attempt at brownies was more like chocolate-flavored bricks (my brother still teases me about it at every family get together). But one rainy afternoon, I decided to try again—armed with too much chocolate and zero patience. That’s when I accidentally invented these Chocolate Ganache Gooey Brownies. It’s honestly a bit of a miracle, because the first batch was so gooey I thought I'd messed it up... until the whole tray disappeared before dinner. My neighbor, who never eats sweets, asked for the recipe. That’s how you know it’s good, right?

Why I Keep Coming Back to This (And My Family Won’t Let Me Forget It)

I make these whenever someone needs cheering up, or, honestly, when I crave something sticky and chocolatey and don't want to pay bakery prices (who does, really?). My family goes absolutely mad for these brownies—though my cousin says they’re more fudge than brownie, but what does he know? The ganache on top is like a chocolate hug, and if you’re lucky enough to grab a corner piece, it’s almost like molten lava cake. Sometimes the middle sags and I get annoyed, but everyone just fights over the gooey bit anyway.

What You’ll Need (and a Few Swaps If You’re Missing Stuff)

200g (about 1 cup) good dark chocolate (I sometimes use milk chocolate if I’m feeling sweet; my grandma swears by Lindt, but honestly, use whatever’s in the cupboard)

150g (about ¾ cup) unsalted butter (I’ve used salted—just skip the extra salt later!)
225g (1 cup + 2 tbsp) white sugar (brown sugar works for a bit of depth, or whatever mix you can scrape together)
2 large eggs (room temp if you remember, cold works if you don’t)

75g (about ⅔ cup) plain flour (I’ve used self-raising in a pinch, but it’s not quite the same)
3 tablespoon cocoa powder (Dutch-process if you want to be fancy)
½ teaspoon salt (skip if your butter’s salted, or add a bit more if you love salty-sweet stuff)

For the ganache:

100g (about ½ cup) good dark chocolate, chopped
100ml (just under ½ cup) double cream (I even used thick yogurt once—wasn’t bad!)

How I Actually Make These (Or, The Chaos That Is My Kitchen)

First, preheat your oven to 175°C (350°F) and line a square baking tin (8x8 inch is good) with parchment—unless you’re rebellious and just grease it. I usually forget a spot and things get stuck, but that’s okay.
Melt the butter and chocolate together in a saucepan over low heat. Stir frequently—this is where I usually sneak a taste, for science. Don’t worry if it looks a bit split; keep stirring, it comes together.
Take it off the heat; add in the sugar and mix. It'll look grainy, but that’s normal. Let it cool a minute so you don’t scramble the eggs.

Beat in the eggs, one at a time. The mixture will thicken up and look glossy. If you see a few lumps, that’s fine. Actually, it gives it character.
Sift in the flour, cocoa, and salt. Fold gently—just till combined. Don’t overmix. Or do, if you like cakey brownies. I won’t judge.
Scrape into the tin and spread it out. This batter is pretty thick—sometimes I just use my (clean!) fingers to push it into the corners.

Bake for 22–28 minutes. The edges should be set but the middle wobbly. If you like them extra gooey (like me), pull them at 22. If you want more structure, wait till 28. But don’t go over—dry brownies are a sin.
Let them cool in the tin. Don’t skip this. I once tried to cut them hot, and it was a chocolate puddle. Still tasty though.
For the ganache: Heat the cream until just steaming (don’t boil it) and pour over the chopped chocolate. Let it sit a minute, then stir until smooth. If you’re impatient and microwave it, just go slow and stir every 10 seconds.

Spread ganache over cooled brownies. Sometimes I get artistic with swirls. Sometimes I just dump it on and it’s still delicious.
Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes if you want neater slices, or just dive right in—your call!

Notes From My Many Mishaps (And Accidental Discoveries)

If you use cheap chocolate, it still works, but the flavor isn’t quite as deep. That said, I’ve made this with supermarket 'value' bars in a pinch and no one complained.

Adding extra cocoa for 'more chocolate' makes them dry, weirdly. Less is more here!
Sometimes my brownies sink in the middle. I thought this was a disaster, but people now fight over the gooey sunken bit. Go figure.

Other Ways I’ve Tried These (Some Good, Some Weird)

Swapped in peanut butter chips once—wow. 10/10 recommend.

Used coconut oil for the butter on a dare (it works, but the coconut flavor is pretty obvious—my kids hated it, I kinda liked it!)
Tried mixing in frozen raspberries. Tasty, but made the brownies super soggy. Maybe don’t do that unless you like pudding-texture...

What If You Don’t Have All the Equipment?

I use a square baking tin, but once I used a round cake pan and just cut 'pie' slices. Works fine! If you don’t have a whisk, a fork will do—just takes longer. I’ve also lined my pan with tin foil when I ran out of parchment. It was a pain to peel off, but hey, it worked.

How to (Supposedly) Store Them

Keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. But, honestly, in my house they never make it past breakfast the next day. They’re quite good cold too, or even straight from the freezer if you’re feeling wild.

How I Serve These (And, Okay, a Family Oddity)

I like mine with a scoop of vanilla ice cream; my partner likes them plain, straight from the tin—no plate, just a fork. At Christmas, my aunt insists we sprinkle crushed peppermint over the ganache, and it’s actually amazing (who knew?).

Lessons Learned the Hard Way (Pro Tips, Kinda)

Don’t rush cooling—once I tried icing hot brownies and the ganache just slid off. Tasty puddle, but, yeah, wait a bit.

If you overbake these, they turn into chocolate sponge, which is just not the vibe. Set a timer (I always forget...)
Actually, I find letting them sit overnight makes them fudgier. But I get it, sometimes you just need brownies now.

Wait, Where Did That Question Come From? (FAQ)

Can I halve the recipe? Absolutely. Just use a smaller tin or, honestly, bake as bars and embrace the thickness.

Do I have to use ganache? No, but… it’s what makes these next-level. If you skip, maybe add extra chocolate chips to the batter.
Can I make these gluten-free? Yep! Use a good gluten-free all-purpose flour like King Arthur’s or Bob’s Red Mill. Texture is a smidge different, but still delicious.
Why did my brownies sink? Usually from underbaking, but sometimes it just happens. See my notes above—I now pretend it’s intentional.

What’s the best chocolate? I like 70 percent cocoa, but my sister swears by milk chocolate. Try both! (Or check this Serious Eats guide for more ideas.)

Oh, and if you ever find yourself out of eggs, don’t panic—I once used a mashed ripe banana instead, and while it tasted a bit banana-y (obviously), it was still not bad. Anyway, if you try these Chocolate Ganache Gooey Brownies, let me know how it goes—unless you eat the whole tray before you can share. No judgement, mate.

Chocolate Ganache Gooey Brownies: My Real-Life Bake & Chat Guide

Let Me Tell You About the Day I Discovered Gooey Brownies

Why I Keep Coming Back to This (And My Family Won’t Let Me Forget It)

What You’ll Need (and a Few Swaps If You’re Missing Stuff)

How I Actually Make These (Or, The Chaos That Is My Kitchen)

Notes From My Many Mishaps (And Accidental Discoveries)

Other Ways I’ve Tried These (Some Good, Some Weird)

What If You Don’t Have All the Equipment?

How to (Supposedly) Store Them

How I Serve These (And, Okay, a Family Oddity)

Lessons Learned the Hard Way (Pro Tips, Kinda)

Wait, Where Did That Question Come From? (FAQ)

Chocolate Ganache Gooey Brownies

Ingredients

Instructions

Approximate Information for One Serving

Nutrition Disclaimers

Did you make this recipe?