How to fix too soft brownies

[Zyni]

I like ooey gooey brownies, but these were just too mushy in the middle. I tried baking them longer, but it didn't help much. I'm thinking I must have measured the ingredients wrong. Is there a way to salvage something like this or no?

Have you ever made your brownies too soft? I didn't even know there was such a thing, ha ha.

 

[Diane Lane]

I have had this happen. What I ended up doing with the one or two batches I've had come out like this, is to cover the edges with foil, so they don't get singed, and then put them back in the oven for about 5 more minutes. If the edges are firm enough and fully cooked, I have also cut those out, and just left the center portion. My last batch was fully cooked, but wouldn't firm up quite as much as I was used to in the center, but they were still good.

 

[rz3300]

I don't know if I ever have heard of too soft brownies, but I really really like the concept so I think I need to spend a little time on perfecting these. I do love brownies, but never take the time to make some, so maybe this will be that shot in the arm that I need.

 

[Corzhens]

First, be it known that I am not a baker but this suggestion is what I have seen in our kitchen. When the cassava cake that we bake is too soft for comfort, the next batch would either have lesser liquid ingredients (condensed milk or coconut milk) or a tablespoon of corn starch is added to give it a body. But the corn starch is limited because too much corn starch added can affect the taste.

 

[cupcakechef]

Did you make them from scratch or use a box mix? Do you have the recipe you used? Or if it was a box mix, what were the add ins you needed?

 

[ChesterV]

Quick "fix it" secret..........

Ovens bake from the outside inwards.

Microwaves bake from the inside out.

If something like this does not seem to be baking the center properly, take it out of the oven, let it cool off a bit (so you don't melt anything in the microwave in case you have plastic doohickeys in it) and then bake it in the microwave one or two minutes at medium until the center firms up where you want it.

 

[Diane Lane]

Quick "fix it" secret..........

Ovens bake from the outside inwards.

Microwaves bake from the inside out.

If something like this does not seem to be baking the center properly, take it out of the oven, let it cool off a bit (so you don't melt anything in the microwave in case you have plastic doohickeys in it) and then bake it in the microwave one or two minutes at medium until the center firms up where you want it.

That's a great tip, @ChesterV. I mainly heat things up in the microwave, and it never would have occurred to me to do that. I have put them back in the regular oven, and as I mentioned, just cut the edge off so the center alone would be cooked more, but if someone's going to all that trouble, they might as well remove them from the pan (assuming it's metal) and try finishing them off in the microwave.

 

[ChesterV]

That's a great tip, @ChesterV. I mainly heat things up in the microwave, and it never would have occurred to me to do that. I have put them back in the regular oven, and as I mentioned, just cut the edge off so the center alone would be cooked more, but if someone's going to all that trouble, they might as well remove them from the pan (assuming it's metal) and try finishing them off in the microwave.

This trick works for anything baked (in a microwave safe dish) in the oven.
Casseroles being one of these items. If you have ever made casseroles, you know sometimes the centers just don't get done enough sometimes. Putting them in the microwave for a few minutes usually firms them up just right.

This is also why most high volume cooks and bakers prefer a good convection oven. In a convection oven it's difficult for your baked goods to come out with a gooey or soft center, as they bake with a better distribution of heat than standard ovens.

I've never understood why all ovens aren't convection. I mean, really, the ONLY difference between a standard oven and a convection oven is a fan inside, circulating the heat. It doesn't cost these manufacturers anything to put a fan or two in standard ovens.

They used to make small accessory fans for standard ovens that would help make them work like a convection oven. The fan was a high temperature fan, and it worked off of the heat that the oven gave off, so there were no electronic parts to fry or get in the way. Unfortunately I guess they have stopped making these for baking ovens, as I only see them online for wood burning stoves now.....which are too large for ovens.

But if you have a gadgetmaster in the family, they may be able to make one up for you! Who knows....if they make it, and it works, you might have a million dollar seller on your hands!