Banana Brownies with a Fudgy Middle

Set out unsalted butter, vanilla, and all-purpose flour equal to 1 cup + 2 tablespoons before you start Banana Brownies with a Fudgy Middle. The batch is written for 14 brownies.

Count on 20 minutes of prep, 40 minutes of cooking, about 1 hour from the first measurement to the plate.

Ingredients Method

What goes in the bowl

• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 18 tablespoons all-purpose flour equal to 1 cup + 2 tablespoons
• ¼ cup cocoa powder I used Dutch processed
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 ⅓ cups granulated sugar
• 6 eggs
• 1 ¼ cups ripe bananas smashed or 3 bananas
• 2 ¼ cups semi-sweet chocolate chopped
• ½ cup chocolate chips mounded
• flaked sea salt for sprinkling

How the cooking goes

1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray a 9×13-inch metal pan and line with parchment, leaving an overhang for easy removal.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, and salt until the texture looks smooth. Keep it to one side.
3. Bring a small pot of water to a gentle simmer. Set a heatproof bowl over the pot with the chopped chocolate, butter, and vanilla. Stir until just melted and smooth. Take it off the heat and allow it to cool slightly.
4. In a electric mixer fitted with the whisk, beat the eggs and sugar on high speed until pale, thick, and tripled in volume. The mixture should fall in ribbons and the sugar should be fully dissolved.
5. Mash the bananas until mostly smooth using a fork or masher. A few small lumps are fine.
6. Remove the bowl from the mixer. Gently fold through the melted chocolate mixture, then fold through the mashed bananas until evenly combined.
7. Sieve the flour mixture into the bowl and fold gently just until incorporated. Stop while a few streaks of flour remain.
8. Turn through the chocolate chips. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.
9. Oven-bake for 30–40 minutes, until the brownies are puffed, matte on top, and a tester comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Sprinkle with flaked sea salt. Cool completely before slicing.

After it comes off the heat

Let the pan settle before you slice, so the crumb stays together. Cover leftovers once they are cool.

If you want another plate from Brownies and bars, open Pumpkin Bars for the Dessert Plate and Ooey, Gooey Smores Bars for the Dessert Plate.