Even the best bakers can make mistakes, no matter how simple the recipe. If you are about to embark on your baking journey or just enjoy good home-baked brownies on a special occasion, you might have some questions. What to do if you took them out of the oven slightly (or really) under cooked?
You can put brownies back in the oven to ensure they are crisp and done. It’s even better to check on them and take them out slightly undone to avoid burning them. The only problem with this method is the risk of them getting a bit dry.
How can you be sure your brownies are done? How to save them? And can you eat them if they are under cooked?
Here are some tips and tricks on brownies to help you have a perfect tasty companion on movie nights.
How Can You Tell If Brownies are Undercooked?
When brownies are done, you should be able to see their crispy edges. Try shaking the pan to see if the middle is still fudge. If it is, keep them in the oven a while longer.
The best way to check if they are ready is to look for any cracks on the top – the cracks are a sign the middle has been cooked and is starting to lift.
If you have ever made muffins at home you must have noticed the same cracking on top which meant your chocolate middle had just the right texture. Use this knowledge in further baking endeavors.
Is it also important you use the right-sized pan, so if your mixture is too thick, your brownies will probably need some extra time or will be mushy and undone.
If you notice the top layer looks soft or watery, brownies need more time in the oven. It is fairly easy to notice this coat.
Look for shiny little cracks instead and when they appear, bon appetit.
You can always use a toothpick to probe your brownies. If your brownies are fudge, a cake tester or toothpick will always have crumbs on it. If it has no crumbs, your goodies are over baked.
There are two types of brownies, fudge and cake. Fudge brownies are supposed to be softer and moist, so pay attention to the recipe to avoid over baking them.
They should be dense but not flow. If you prefer caked brownies, use a bit more flour in the mixture.
Is It Possible To Resume Baking Brownies In The Oven If Undercooked?
it is completely normal and very possible to resume baking. You have two choices if your brownies come out under cooked. Either let them cool a bit, put them back, or microwave them shortly if they are only slightly undone.
Be careful. When you put them back, they still need some extra time to adjust to the heat. They will not continue baking at once. Be patient and give them time.
This is the risky part – they can get a bit dried out due to the change in temperature. If your brownies are mushy and you like them a bit dry, this is a great option for you. You can even do this if you didn’t make a mistake. Simply take them out before they are done, leave them out for a few minutes, put them back, and wait.
After that just use the steps we already taught you to check their progress.
Why are Your Brownies Not Cooked In The Middle?
There are a few common mistakes when it comes to brownies and a few reasons why they are undone. Similarly to those embarrassing moments of microwave cooking (burnt on the outside, raw on the inside), your brownies may come out uncooked in the middle. Why is that happening?
- Most probably because you used a pan you already have and it is not properly sized for brownies. If it is too small, your mixture will be too thick to cook. If it is too big, the mixture will lay flat and your brownies may get burnt.
- You decided to mix it up and not follow the recipe. The amount of ingredients is written down for you for a reason. Whether you are using a premade mixture or making brownies from scratch, stick to the recipe.
There is one exception – when the cracks appear, brownies are here. So take them out no matter what time the recipe requires!
- You forgot to check on them and didn’t make sure they baked evenly. Rotate the pan in the middle of cooking time and pay attention to the progress.
- Your oven has a fan option and you didn’t adjust the temperature – these ovens make baking faster so make sure your brownies don’t burn on the outside so quickly because the inside will remain raw.
- You took them out and didn’t give them time to cool. If you go jogging and work up a sweat, you will have to sit down for a few minutes before taking a shower or getting dressed for a fancy party. Just like you, your dessert needs to cool off before you cut it.
Avoid these mistakes and learn from them even if they happen. You will become an expert in brownies in no time.
They seem like a simple dessert to make but every mixture is different, every pan and every oven works in its own way.
Do not blame your failed brownies on one thing. It is probable you committed more of these small mistakes and that led to a not so successful attempt.
What Do Undercooked Brownies Look Like?
Under cooked brownies are melty, mushy, and just taste raw. Here is the video (1) showing what they end up looking like if under cooked. Adding too many flavors or using the wrong ingredients of lesser quality can all result in this.
In some extreme kitchen mishaps, your brownies look like you just spilled chocolate all over your pan. Your mixture can get sticky and ruin your pan as well.
Make sure you follow the recipe and notice the signals your brownies are done or not. You will have perfectly baked brownies if you only follow our tips and tricks!
Are Undercooked Brownies Safe To Eat?
No matter how tempting it may be, do not eat raw or under cooked brownies. Some people, especially children, like the taste of raw cookie dough or cake batter.
It smells great and it does have that special taste you usually can’t get from anything else.
Foods that come from animal sources, such as eggs or meat need to be properly thermally treated to avoid getting infected with Salmonella or E. coli.
So if you are using eggs for your brownies, and you probably do, make sure they are not under cooked.
If you are looking for more information on how these infections can influence you, read more about what the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have to say (1).
Not only these bacteria can influence your stomach, but you could also be put on antibiotics or even require immediate medical help in case of severe dehydration caused by distressing symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, and fever.
These infections can in some cases leave you with long term consequences and in some rare cases be lethal. Perhaps you have been eating raw cookie dough or under cooked brownies for years and nothing has happened.
Rest assured that you were simply lucky. It is very easy to contract bacteria, viruses, or even parasites from contaminated food – especially if it comes from an animal source.
If you are left with some extra batter, don’t eat it. Throw it away. If you have a sensitive stomach or had issues with infections in the past, you could invest in a thermometer to use in your kitchen to ensure your brownies or any other dessert is properly baked.
Salmonella can even be found in flour and can survive for a long time, so don’t eat under cooked brownies even if your recipe does not require eggs. No matter the diet and the ingredients, some foods are just not made to be eaten raw. Read more about the dangers of Salmonella here (3).
Make sure you are safe and healthy. These things come first. A tasty dessert is just a cherry on top. Health should be your prime concern even when it comes to simple things such as making brownies.
The holiday season is probably the most dangerous time of the year when it comes to food poisoning or infections since we are always in a rush and we often lose focus thinking something is too easy to have any potential to be dangerous.
So stay away from raw foods, get rid of that extra cake batter, follow the recipe unless your brownies speak for themselves when it comes to baking time, and don’t worry if they are under cooked – put them back in the oven and postpone your pleasure for your own sake.