Brownies are one of the sweetest and most satisfying desserts in America The treat is meant to be a cocoa lover's heaven with a dense, chewy center and a shiny, shimmery, crackling top, but that glossy delicate crust on the surface of fresh brownies is not always easy to achieve if you don't use the idea ingredients.

Granulated sugar is the key to shiny brownies, because the sucrose in granulated sugar creates a fine crystal surface after baking that is smooth enough to reflect light. This process won't take place with just corn syrup, brown sugar, or molasses, so don’t expect a nice glazed top if you swap out the granulated sugar.

Another great way to ensure you get that shiny top layer is to melt your sugar and butter together, which causes the water from the butter to dissolve the sugar before the brownie batter goes into the oven. The oven's heat then re-crystallizes the sugar that rises to the top and creates that lovely gossamer effect.