(content by Dennis H)
Do you love brownies? Have you ever tried cooking them? Well, there are tons of recipes at Corrie Cooks for you to try out. Sometimes you’ll either cook or buy excess, which could become dry and stale if not well stored. So how do you keep and eat them when they are still fresh?
Here are a few tricks on storing your healthy brownies and preserving their freshness to the next day.
Avoid cutting the brownie
Don’t cut brownies you intend to store for a while. Only cut pieces you plan to eat right away. Cutting them exposes them to air, and within no time, they dry out. It makes them crusty, not how you’d have preferred to have them.
Keep the brownies air-free
Food preservation is essential. No matter how you store brownies, they should not contact the air if you want to eat them while still fresh. Below are ways in which you can wrap your brownies and keep them air-free.
Plastic wraps: These are efficient as you can easily place the wraps on the brownies and cover them tightly, blocking the drying air.
Foil: You can also use foil to ensure no air gets to the brownies.
Airtight containers: Placing your brownies in airtight containers will suffice. The container’s lid will block any air circulation, ensuring your brownies remain tasty.
Ziploc bags: For individual brownies, you may place them directly in Ziploc bags. They are convenient for storage and make unwrapping easier. The brownies should stay entirely away from air.
Add a slice of bread
When storing your brownie, ensure you add a slice of bread to maintain its freshness. This is an old trick, but you have to ensure your brownie doesn’t appear dry and crunchy. The bread prevents the brownie from going stale and drying out, ensuring you have extra days to nibble your brownie. The moisture from the bread makes your brownie stay soft. If you realize the slice starts drying up, replace it.
Chocolate dip
Usually, when making brownies, you allow them to cool, then cut them to shapes of your choice. If the chocolate is heavy, chill the brownies as they are delicate at room temperature. Dip the brownies completely in the chocolate. The chocolate will act as a shell on the brownie preventing air from coming into contact with the brownie. The exercise will preserve their freshness, and you’ll get to enjoy your brownies chewy and fudgy.
Storing at room temperature
Now that your brownie is chocolate coated, it is good to store at room temperature for shorter periods. When you nibble at a brownie stored close to the chocolate melting point, which is room temperature, it tends to melt quickly in your mouth. This softness is as if the brownie is fresh from the oven.
For storage at room temperature, the brownie will last for about 3-4 days; after that, they’ll be stale. With the wrapping options discussed above, you can place your brownie at the counter. When you wrap them, you can easily carry along your brownie on your trip, and this helps in saving on expenses incurred during the trip.
Refrigeration
You may wrap your brownies airtight to preserve them for more extended periods, then place them in a refrigerator. It maintains the freshness for almost two weeks. When you want a bite of your brownies, you get them out and wait for them to reach room temperature or heat them with your microwave. They will taste more intense, richer, and more chocolate-y. Ensure the wrap is airtight when returning the brownies to the fridge.
Freezing
If you have a large bunch of brownies, the freezer will ensure you enjoy your dessert for up to 3 months. Ensure you wrap the brownie tightly. All you’ll need to do is take your brownies, let them thaw or heat mildly in a microwave, and you’ll be enjoying fresh brownies in seconds. Before storing them back, wrap them completely. What’s more exciting is the fact that you can carry them with you to all the holiday destinations you intend to visit this festive season.
Conclusion
The above tips should help you preserve your brownies seamlessly. Note that brownies with frosting and toppings are hard to manage, unlike plain brownies.
