Best Brownies
Makes 16-18,
Prepare 30 minutes,
Cook 35-40 minutes.
This, frankly obscene, brownie recipe has taken many recipe-testing sessions to perfect; it’s rich, salty (a good thing. You can even use salted butter if you’ve a real taste for it) and decadent. Consequently, I’ve been wheeling it out at every celebration for well over fifteen years. Little quirks such as scattering some of the added chocolate across the base of the tin, so that it caramelises upon baking, make all the difference. Insider tip: I often use chocolate varieties studded with caramel pieces, and I’m not stingy with the amounts. If you prefer, you can replace some or all of the milk and white chocolate with dark chocolate, chopped nuts or dried cherries (or leave the extras out altogether for a plain brownie).
Notes for spring 2020: ingredients can be a challenge to find at the moment. Please don’t add to your stress by being too exacting if you want to make these; it’s only baking. The flour can be replaced with bread flour or pasta flour. Wholemeal or not. Self-raising will be fine, just halve the baking powder quantity. You can use ground almonds to replace the flour altogether, but be warned this makes a very rich brownie. Ideally, you’d only replace half the flour with almonds, unless you need it to be gluten free or particularly want an even more decadent, decadent brownie. Sub in any sugar (but not syrup) you can get; dark muscovado or anything of that ilk will be fine, as will standard caster – no need to use golden. Good luck finding eggs; medium sized will be grand.
Ingredients
200g dark (min 70%) chocolate, chopped
250g unsalted butter
4 large eggs
150g golden caster sugar
150g light brown muscovado sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
120g plain flour or spelt flour
½ tsp baking powder
20g cocoa powder
½ tsp sea salt flakes
150g milk chocolate, roughly chopped
150g white chocolate, roughly chopped
Addition for Easter/spring: 80g bag chocolate mini eggs, very roughly chopped
Method
Preheat the oven to 190°C, 375F, gas mark 5 or fan 170°C. Line a 23 x 32cm ( that’s 9 x 13 inch) brownie tin with non-stick baking parchment.
Melt the dark chocolate and butter together in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally. If you can’t be bothered with a bain marie, you can do this directly in a saucepan, stirring over the lowest possible heat, but don’t leave it alone as the chocolate can scorch easily and it’ll ruin the flavour. Once melted, set aside to cool slightly. Beat the eggs, sugars, and vanilla extract together in the bowl of an electric mixer (or using handheld electric beaters) at high speed for about 3 minutes, until thick and increased in volume. Sift the flour, baking powder and cocoa over then, scrunch the salt over and pour in the melted chocolate mixture. Fold together until smooth then fold in a third of the chopped milk and white chocolate. If you’re using mini eggs, reserve these for now. Scatter half the remaining milk and white chocolate over the base of the prepared tin. Spoon the brownie mixture on top, smoothing the top. Scatter with the remaining chocolate and the chopped mini eggs, if using. Slide into the oven and immediately reduce the oven to 180°C, 350F, gas mark 4 or 170°C fan. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until almost firm in the middle. The mixture should still have a slight ‘wobble’ in the centre when the tin is jiggled. Once cool, cut the brownies into 16-18, depending on preference. They will keep in an airtight container for up to 4 days and freeze beautifully.
More pictures below…
