There was an e-mail from reader Katy asking if I use any special equipment for baking brownies. In particular, she wants to know how my brownie slices come out neat. Okay, I admit that cutting brownies, especially fudgy brownies, can be tricky. Do it wrong and you can get large chunks stuck on the knife ruining the shape of the brownies.
There are many ways to create neat brownie squares. One is to use a brownie pan with dividers (see photo). Not only will the sides of each brownie square look super neat, the squares will be uniformly sized too.
Some recommend a serrated knife. Others say a disposable plastic knife does the trick well.
Some people use a pizza cutter. Others swear that dental floss is the perfect tool.
I don’t have a brownie pan with dividers. I don’t use a serrated knife nor a plastic knife nor a pizza cutter. I don’t use dental floss either.
After trying a lot of different techniques, I’ve settled with a procedure that works best for me. To cut my brownies neatly, I’ve been following these simple rules for the past couple of years:
1. Before pouring the brownie batter in, I line the baking pan with non-stick paper. I leave overhangs on the two long sides. This makes lifting the baked and uncut brownie slab easier.
2. I let the baked uncut brownies cool in the pan for 10 minutes or so then I transfer it to a cooling rack (some brownie recipes work better if the uncut brownies are left to cool in the pan but that’s another story altogether). I cannot overemphasize the cooling step. While hot, the brownies are soft and no matter how careful you are, chunks will break away and stick to the knife. So, cool. Cool. COOL.
3. When the uncut brownie slab has cooled, I transfer it to a cutting board. And that’s where I cut it — never inside the pan.
4. I pour hot (not boiling) water into a shallow pan (a frying pan or wok works well), I dip the chef’s knife in the hot water, wipe it dry with kitchen paper then I cut the brownies. No see-saw motion. Just a clean cut. I position the point of the knife at the far edge of the brownie slab then I bring the knife down. Think of a paper cutter — it’s the same principle.
5. After making one cut, I dip the knife in the hot water again and wipe it clean with kitchen paper. I repeat this dipping and wiping process after each cut.
And that is how I slice my brownies.
P.S. For the recipes that go with the photos above, just click on the photos.
What are long-stemmed roses and where do they come from?
Christine Sim
09/30/2013 at 3:05 pmThanks for the tips, Connie! I’ll do this next time i bake brownies. =) Problem ko din kasi ito…
mona
09/30/2013 at 4:40 pmHow amazing it is. Just a simple technique and it works i just try this today.
and it works. thanks Miss Connie from australia.
Joel Nunez
10/02/2013 at 2:54 pmYour brownie pan that I got you 3 years back has remained unclaimed! Asan na ang pancit/crispy pata/cocktails party natin? By the way, this pan is not altogether fool-proof.
Remember my tip before? I bake my brownies in cupcake paper/pan. No slicing, no mess.
Jayson Catedral
10/02/2013 at 6:25 pmNice technique Ms. Connie! I used the disposal plastic knife technique and it also works well specially if I can’t wait to try my baked bars.
Connie Veneracion
10/02/2013 at 6:26 pmWe really ought to schedule that cocktails party. So we can gossip to death too. hehehehe
Marvin
10/05/2013 at 4:08 amaba, aba, me party at di ako invited??? diba me utang pa ako sa yung becky’s kitchen na cake?
pa potluck ka na ng madala ko yun. lol
Connie Veneracion
10/05/2013 at 5:24 amRe: Becky’s. Oo nga ano?
Ok lang kayo, medyo 3 hours na drive from Manila to Antipolo with the blasted traffic? Kahit Sunday wala patawad! :(
Rodolfo Kintanar
11/24/2013 at 3:16 pmConnie,
My wife does the three LLLs at home= Laba, Luto, Linis.
She also treats patients in her EYE, EAR, NOSE, AND THROAT clinic.
And she got rewarded with four physician children.
When I was not yet exempted from eating cakes, she also bakes cakes comparable if not better than what five star hotels in Manila makes.
When making brownies (I assist her in baking) her secret in making them is she uses the best ingredients….Quality Ingredients with the right technique gives quality results!
In cutting brownies, your cutting system is superb.
Thanks for the info, we will use that.
Connie Veneracion
11/24/2013 at 5:44 pmYou’re exempted from eating cakes now? Sugar issues?
Rodolfo Kintanar
11/24/2013 at 3:16 pmConnie,
My wife does the three LLLs at home= Laba, Luto, Linis.
She also treats patients in her EYE, EAR, NOSE, AND THROAT clinic.
And she got rewarded with four physician children.
When I was not yet exempted from eating cakes, she also bakes cakes comparable if not better than what five star hotels in Manila makes.
When making brownies (I assist her in baking) her secret in making them is she uses the best ingredients….Quality Ingredients with the right technique gives quality results!
In cutting brownies, your cutting system is superb.
Thanks for the info, we will use that.
Connie Veneracion
11/24/2013 at 5:44 pmYou’re exempted from eating cakes now? Sugar issues?
Rukh
05/27/2014 at 2:35 pmDear Connie
Thank you for your tips and the lovely recipes.
With best wishes from India !
Rukh
Connie Veneracion
05/27/2014 at 11:36 pmYou are very welcome, Rukh. :)
Julienne Corr
06/01/2015 at 8:50 amI made a big batch of brownies for a banquet and wanted them to have nice, clean edges. I tried your tip of dipping the knife in hot water and it worked beautifully.
Thanks!