How to adapt brownie recipe to cook well in a mini-muffin tin?

Question

I've got a great brownie recipe that works awesome in a 9x11 pan. The top comes out crunchy, the bottom cake like and the middle nice and fudgy. I figured I would try to make them in a mini-muffin tin, thinking it would be easier for the kids to eat. Ended up with a mini disaster.

Things I had not counted on: they rose seemingly more than in the 9x11 pan. Too much cake like vs not enough fudge center.

Should there be things I need to be aware of? I cut a good 7 or 8 minutes off my cooking time of 25 minutes int eh 9x11 pan, and even still, they were over cooked. But more importantly, I realized that with all edges being cooked (as opposed to square in the 9x11), there is a lot of "cake surface" vs soft and fudgy centre.

Is there something i should consider doing specifically to the recipe? Is there a way to make good fudgy brownies in a mini-muffin tin, or am I just looking for trouble?

Recipe is butter-free (just uses vegetable oil) and only 1 tsp of baking soda as a leavening agent.

Answer 1

Brownies are bar cookies. Note that the brownies are at the edge of the pan are more cooked, and raised higher: they set before they settle back down.

Baking the brownies in a mini-muffin tin will essentially make each mini-brownie all edge. They will rise and set very rapidly, and then easily over bake.

I would suggest that brownies are not ideal in a mini-muffin tin. Instead, cutting them smaller would be a better solution.

If you do want to try it again, I would suggest:

1. Don't overfill the tins. You don't want the batter more than about 1/2 inch deep; you want about the same depth it would be in the pan for which they are designed.

2. Let the batter sit for about 5-10 minutes after portioning into the muffin tins. This will give some additional time for the sugars to dissolve, and the flour to hydrate since they won't have as much time in the oven. This should help texture and crust development (the shiny crackly top).

3. Reduce or eliminate the chemical leavening. I would experiment with cutting the baking powder by 50% to start.

   There are ways to incorporate air into brownie batter mechanically, by (for example) beating air into the egg-butter-chocolate mixture, but the exact way to approach it would depend on your particular brownie recipe. If you go that route, you can probably completely eliminate the baking powder.

4. Reduce the oven temperature by about 25 F (maybe even 50 F in a second trial, if they still over bake and are too crusty too rapidly) or so, to allow the baking process to slow, and give more time for the mini-brownies to rise and settle.

5. Check them much sooner. Mini-brownies are going to go from not-done to overdone very, very quickly. I would start checking as early as 15 minutes, until you have an expectation. When you can smell the chocolaty aroma is a good time to start checking.

6. Bake only one mini-muffin tray at a time, so that they are even. You don't want shadow effects and changes in oven convection to throw off the baking by having more than one tray in the oven at the same time, although that is more an issue of consistency than it is of the complete character of the outcome.

Answer 2

Yes, me too, I bought mini muffin shaped brownies in a bag and loved the idea so much I wanted to try it myself, so I bought a mini muffin tin especially for that purpose. I read all the answers above to get some guidance. Then I decided to use my favorite brownie recipe from 'Handle the Heat' http://www.handletheheat.com/ultimate-brownies/, with no alterations except for heat: 325 instead of 350 and baking time : 12 minutes only. I filled the cups 1/2 full but will do 3/4 next time as the batter has no leavening agent. I baked them one batch at a time, and because the batter had no BP or BS, it waited with no problems. Then I dipped the top in chocolate ganache ( Ina Garten's recipe: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/chocolate-ganache-recipe.html) The outcome was superior, way better than the ones I bought. Brownie cups had a crusty top and soft chewy inside, shape was very neat and taste was the best.

Answer 3

I'm in the process of making brownie bites. Using the King Arthur Flour Ultimate Chewy Brownie recipe. (Not a sales pitch; I have several to choose from but like this best.) Using a 2 doz tin and a #40 baking scoop, spritz with a touch of oil then bake for 16 mins in a 350°F oven. They come out just right for me. Not fudgey, mind you, but soft and moist.

Answer 4

I used giradeli double chocolate mix and mixed according to instructions, sprayed mini muffin pans with baking spray, filled each cup about halfway or a little over with the batter and baked for 12 minutes at 325 degrees. I let Cool for 3 min after baking, then removed, loosening edges with a butter knife. Placed on baking rack to fully cool. I'm a picky brownie eater and these were amazing. The perfect texture and not dry at all. Thanks to all the reviews on here I was able to make an informed guess on trying this out. Served at a work function next day to rave reviews, everyone thought they were some gourmet brownies I bought, but 36 of them cost me only $3!

Answer 5

In addition to the previous suggestions, you might consider cooling the prepared batter in the refrigerator (similar to cookie dough), and using an ice bath to halt the cooking.

I first saw the ice bath technique in an Alice Medrich cookbook, and she is cited here: http://www.scharffenberger.com/chocolate/recipes/cookies-brownies/new-classic-brownies/

Answer 6

I make brownies and muffins in the shaped mini cake pans... you need to have the temp. way down and the time... pretty much put them in, and then turn around and take them out... the secret here is not just the temp and time, but the ingredients you need to add water, no matter what else it calls for, and the more water, the better it will take the shape, just make sure you spray the pan well, and make sure you don't let let cool too much or you won't be able to pop them out well

Answer 7

These are some great tips! I used a boxed recipe so couldn't make many changes there. But I let batter sit in muffin tins for a while, in the fridge actually,lowered the oven temp. and kept a close eye on them. They didn't all bake evenly. I did take out the done ones on the ends and put the rest back in the oven for a few more minutes. I was very pleased with the result.

Answer 8

When I make brownies I make the Ghirardelli brand, usually caramel turtle.

Today I baked 1 box Ghirardelli ultimate fudge box that came with a chocolate pouch. I added about 1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips in the mix and baked in the mini cupcake pan. I sprayed across the whole pan then wiped down the top so it wouldn't bake on, and since it can get messy I poured the batter into a gallon ziploc bag that I then tied to close. I piped the brownie mix into each cavity and baked @ 325F for 13 minutes.

I checked at 10 minutes but I put too much batter so they did expand a bit like cupcakes so at 13 minutes they were ready. I let them sit in pan for 3 mins before bumping them out. After cooling them for a few more minutes I tore one open to make sure the inside wasn't undercooked and they came out perfect! I would include a photo if I could.

I made a second batch with caramel turtle. I put less batter in each cavity then a drop of caramel before covering with more chocolate and then drizzling caramel on top. I baked for same amount of time (13 minutes at 325) and they didn't expand over the pan and are still soft. After cooling a few minutes out of the pan I tore one open and there is a gooey caramel center (looks like Reese's peanut butter cup) they are super moist.

Answer 9

I bake with the great value brand brownie mix, it's the cheapest, and has the most amount in the box! And I was also wondering the same question. But I tried my own thing and it worked really good. I put salted butter in all of the non stick muffin cups, than mixed the ingredients how the box says, then I add some other stuff and some white chocolate chips, and baked for 26-28 minutes on 350. They turned out really good! They basically fall out of the cup after you let them cool down :)

Answer 10

I just made a brownie box mix according to directions. I baked them at 325 degrees in a dark non stick mini muffin pan with each section given a spritz of PAM. Baked for 15 minutes, no extra fuss. Upon removal from oven I let them sit about 1-2 minutes, turned the pan upside down and they slipped out easily. Brownies were moist - PERFECT!