Yes, you can absolutely bake fudge brownies using baking chocolate or compound chocolate instead of milk chocolate. The taste and texture will be different from brownies made with milk chocolate, but they can still be delicious and satisfying in their own way.
Baking chocolate (also known as unsweetened chocolate) and compound chocolate are both suitable for making brownies. Here's a quick explanation of the two:
Baking Chocolate/Unsweetened Chocolate: This chocolate contains only cocoa solids and cocoa butter, without any added sugar. It is often used in baking to control the sweetness level and allows you to add your desired amount of sugar. When using unsweetened chocolate, you'll need to adjust the sugar content in the brownie recipe to achieve the right sweetness.
Compound Chocolate: Compound chocolate is a type of chocolate that contains vegetable fats (such as palm oil) instead of cocoa butter. It's often used for candy making and coating because it doesn't require tempering. While compound chocolate can be used for baking brownies, it may have a slightly different taste and texture compared to real chocolate. The flavor can be slightly different, and it might not have the same depth of chocolatey richness as baking chocolate or real chocolate.
When substituting baking chocolate or compound chocolate for milk chocolate in a brownie recipe, consider the following:
If you're using baking chocolate, you may need to increase the sugar in the recipe to achieve the desired sweetness since baking chocolate is unsweetened.
If you're using compound chocolate, which often contains some added sugar, you might need to adjust the overall sugar content in the recipe to prevent the brownies from becoming overly sweet.
The texture of brownies made with baking chocolate or compound chocolate might be slightly different from those made with milk chocolate. Baking chocolate can result in denser and more intense chocolate flavor, while compound chocolate might lead to a smoother texture due to the added vegetable fats.
Remember that chocolate preference is subjective, so the "equally good" aspect will vary depending on personal taste. Some people might prefer the deep chocolate flavor of baking chocolate, while others might enjoy the creaminess of milk chocolate in their brownies.
In summary, you can bake delicious fudge brownies using baking chocolate or compound chocolate, but keep in mind the slight taste and texture differences. Feel free to experiment and adjust the recipe to your taste preferences.