The dark side of the spoon: Melbourne's best brownies

Brownies never seem to fall out of the top 10 favourite desserts. Most have that lovely crust on top, but then it's all down to chef preference as to what lies beneath.

Will it be mild and cakey with a pleasing break-apart texture, or will it be dense like fudge and glisteningly rich? Will it be straight up, perhaps with nuts or choc chips, or a tricked-out devil toting dollops of peanut butter or Turkish Delight?

Then there's presentation. Do you prefer it warm with ice cream on the side, or dusted with bitter cocoa and chased with a long black? And where do you stand on the "blondie"? Here's a guide to some of the best, beginning with a personal favourite.

1. Nougat brownie

There's a nod to nostalgia at Tomboy, where a vintage milk bar sign hangs over the counter and a turntable spins records in the corner. Pia Hambour and Georgina March – the brains and bakers behind the Box Brownie bakery business – now have a bricks-and-mortar cafe where you can find oozing slabs of fresh-baked, all gluten-free brownies on the countertop.

Some days they might feature Murray River salt caramel, other days peanut butter, but if you're lucky you'll strike the nougat brownie ($4).

Tomboy, 356 Smith Street, Collingwood. Box Brownies make cakes to order (0405 813 121).

2. New York cheesecake brownie

Two Birds, One Stone, a light, airy cafe down a South Yarra side-street, sports a vibrant breakfast and lunch menu and a good range of Five Senses coffee, but it's the sweet things that really take the cake ... The New York cheesecake brownie ($4.50) is really one to write home about. Baked at sister cafe Top Paddock, it's a fudgey chocolate base pepped up with a light cheesecake top, swirled with dollops of the chocolate for emphasis. And, strangely, not as "need a lie down now" rich as you might think. All together now: "If I can bake it there, I'll bake it anywhere."

Two Birds, One Stone, 12 Claremont Street, South Yarra (9827 1228) or Top Paddock, 658 Church Street, Richmond (9429 4332).

3. Best nut brownies

Amidst all the joyous al fresco dining down the Cecil Street side of South Melbourne Market, you'll find Clement plying its coffee trade from a tiny hole in the wall, where queues will cram in to order. While you wait, there's a small, minxy, wall-mounted cabinet of sweet treats quietly beckoning you, including a slender macadamia or pistachio brownie ($5) courtesy of Matt Forbes, a pastry chef with a background as rich as his desserts.

Forbes has baked for Michelin-starred restaurants such as The Waterside Inn, had a stint at Noma and been head pastry chef at Vue de Monde. He's now branched out on his own, and you can get a taste of what he does at Clement. This brownie has a lightly sugared crust and underneath it's soft but not gooey, with a gentle sweetness and studs of macadamia (or pistachio). And here's a tasty bonus – the macadamia brownie recipe is on his website.

Clement, 116-136 Cecil Street, South Melbourne (9209 6295).

4. Chocolate brownie

The cocoa bean is king at Monsieur Truffe. The hessian-hued Collingwood chocolaterie, with its shelves of artisan chocolate blocks, cosy couches, and finely crafted afternoon hot chocolate also has a sister cafe in Brunswick East (recently re-named East Elevation). Both outlets do a luscious range of cakes and desserts, including incredible brownies ($4.80) cooked up by new chef Keith Stewart. Stewart uses 70 per cent cocoa couverture chocolate from Ghana and mixes things up; traditional (and sublime) choc-chip studded brownie one day, or an apricot and cocoa nib interpretation the next. One thing they all have in common is the fudgey centre and crunchy top.

Monsieur Truffe, 90 Smith Street, Collingwood (9416 3101) and East Elevation, 351 Lygon St, Brunswick East (9380 4915).

5. Raspberry brownie

Sonido is a cute and colourful South American cafe, a cinematic snapshot of Latin tunes and easy hospitality. Amidst a menu of arepas and empanadas you'll find a glossy raspberry brownie ($4.50) waiting at the other end of the meal. Made by Box Brownies (the team behind Tomboy Cafe), it's super moist, the raspberries woven through the mix for an aromatic, Chambord-like result and topped with a slick, dark frosting. It's so popular that it's stuck-fast on Sonido's menu.

Sonido, 69 Gertrude Street, Fitzroy (9495 6636).

6. Vegan brownie

Mister Nice Guy's is a famously vegan bakery in Ascot Vale, with a cute retro kitchen feel and, often, queues out the door. While it's better known for its cupcakes in gorgeous flavours like French Toast, they also do a damn fine vegan double-chocolate walnut brownie made with gluten-free flour, chocolate powder, sugar, oil and rice milk ($4) – and a brownie "cheezecake" ($8 a slice).

Mister Nice Guy's BakeShop, 151 Union Road, Ascot Vale.

And... the chocolate stout brownie at Local Taphouse; classic chocolate at Baker D. Chirico, the brownie "pie" at Candied, and hotsy totsy brownie (chipotle and cinnamon) from Bees Knees Brownie Company.

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