The Cheap Hack That Makes Cutting Brownies A Breeze

Fudgy and chocolatey, a tray of chocolate brownies can verge on cake territory if overbaked. Keeping a close eye on the clock is imperative so you can pull them out while the center still has a slight wobble. After all that diligent monitoring, you want to slice your brownies into perfect squares to do them justice, which is why we've got a cheap hack that makes cutting brownies a breeze: using a plastic knife.

Brownies are susceptible to cracking on the top when sliced because of their very character. They're supposed to be squidgy in the center with a set, crackly-looking crust. It's this combination of a soft-chocolatey middle and an ever-so-slightly firm surface that lends brownies their appetizing mouthfeel and distinctive structure. The problem is that it's this scrumptious quality that makes it so tricky to slice through a batch seamlessly. While using a sharp knife can work, it's time consuming because you have to stop to clean the blade before making each cut to ensure it doesn't catch on the squidgy center.

Using a plastic knife, on the other-hand, is fast, fuss-free, and guaranteed to create clean lines because it has a non-stick surface. The tender middle of the brownie doesn't adhere to the plastic in the same way that it clings onto a metal knife, which allows you to continue cutting along the length of your bake without it looking messy on the edges. The plastic glides through the brownie rather than dragging it along, resulting in neater squares.

Once you've sliced through your brownies, simply give your plastic knife a rinse and pop it back in your utensil drawer (it may be a disposable item but it can be used many times over if washed and dried well). Moreover, don't feel limited to using this trick on your mocha brownies alone. It also works with other varieties of traybakes and cakes made in loaf pans that need to be portioned out evenly. 

Don't have a plastic knife handy? Then use a chef's knife to slice your brownies, which is large enough to cut along the breadth of your brownie pan in one movement. Oil the blade first to give it a non-stick quality and after you've made the first full-length cut, give it a clean with a paper towel, re-apply the oil and start again. Alternatively, dip your knife into a glass of hot water and quickly dry it with a paper towel before making your cuts to create immaculate squares. If you regularly bake brownies, you might be better off investing in a brownie cutter that comes with a handle. All you need to do is position it over the top of your cooled brownie pan and press it down in one swift move to create uniformly-sized portions with neat edges.