Ina Garten Brownie Pudding (Printable Version)

Rich chocolate dessert featuring a crackly top and luscious molten center for chocolate lovers.

# Ingredient List:

→ Chocolate Mixture

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

→ Batter

03 - 4 large eggs, at 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:

01 - Preheat the 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 over simmering water, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
03 - Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat eggs and sugar on medium-high speed for 5 to 10 minutes until thick, pale, and ribbon-like.
04 - Reduce mixer speed to low. Add vanilla extract and kosher salt, then pour in the cooled chocolate mixture and mix until just combined.
05 - Sift together all-purpose flour and cocoa powder. Gently fold into the batter using a spatula until just incorporated.
06 - Pour batter into the prepared baking dish. Place the dish inside a larger roasting pan and add hot tap water until it reaches halfway up the sides of the baking dish. Bake for 1 hour until the top is set and crackly, but the center remains soft and pudding-like.
07 - Remove the baking dish from the water bath. Let cool for at least 15 minutes before serving warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It looks restaurant-fancy but requires almost no special technique—just melted chocolate, beaten eggs, and a water bath.
  • The contrast between the crispy, crackled top and the gooey pudding center is genuinely shocking in the best way.
  • Serves six but tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen, which is the ultimate kitchen hack.
02 -
  • The pudding center must stay soft and gooey—the biggest mistake is overbaking because you think it looks too jiggly; trust the timing and the gentle wobble test.
  • Beating the eggs and sugar for the full time really does create that distinctive crackle; there's no shortcut here that doesn't cost you texture.
  • A water bath keeps the heat even and gentle, preventing the edges from setting too quickly and creating a dense, cake-like texture throughout.
03 -
  • Room-temperature eggs and properly beaten egg-sugar mixture make the difference between a dense brownie and that perfect crackled top.
  • Don't let the chocolate get too hot when melting, and let it cool slightly before adding to your beaten eggs—this keeps everything light and prevents scrambling.
Go Back