Chocolate Brownie
- apprenticecakemum
- Apr 19
- 3 min read
Updated: Apr 29
Here is another versatile and very popular bake to claim as your own. It makes a simple , but perfect, dessert for any dinner party , especially if the meal was a rich filling one. It also offers you the perfect gift for anyone who needs a bit of a pick-me-up , and it is a delicious offering to take to any other special event or get together. Though , as it is so quick and easy to make , you can even let your own family enjoy it sometimes , they will love you forever , (hopefully they'll do that anyway even without a chocolate brownie incentive)
The recipe I am going to give you is my neice's family famous brownies . I am not sure where she found the recipe but we all just call it Anna's brownies.
Ingredients
100g unsalted butter
225g golden caster sugar (or the equivalent 175g of brown sugar for extra richness)
2 eggs , lightly beaten
40g cocoa powder (Bournville is the best)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
50g self raising flour
50g dark baking chocolate chips
If you want a thicker more rich brownie, the recipe is approximately doubled with just a few changes.
200g unsalted butter
200g dark baking chocolate chips
175g brown sugar
3 eggs , lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla essence
75g self raising flour
40g cocoa powder
180g good quality dark chocolate , cut or broken into small chunks .
Method
Grease a 20cm baking tray and line with greaseproof paper. Allow the paper to overhang the edges so you can easily lift the brownie out of the tin and place on a cooling rack.
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees centigrade (160 degrees fan or 350F)
Melt the butter and chocolate chips together, either in a pyrex bowl over a pan of simmering water or gently microwave for 30 second bursts. Stir until smooth.
Beat the eggs and sugar together then add the vanilla extract and beat to mix.
Add to the melted butter/chocolate chip mixture and mix well until smooth.
Gently sift the flour and cocoa powder into the mixture and mix well with a metal spoon so there are no lumps.
If you are going to add the extra chocolate finely chopped chunks, then mix these in now.
Pour the mixture into the prepared baking tray.
Cook for 24 to 30 minutes depending on how gooey you would like the centre of your brownie to be.
When the timer goes, rest the brownie for 10 minutes in the tray before lifting out and placing on a cooling rack (still within the grease proof paper).
The brownies can be stored out of the fridge for 4 days in an airtight container or else frozen for up to 3 months. But they are at their most delicious if eaten soon after baking, especially if still warm. Though saying that, one of my teenagers just sticks her brownie in the microwave for a short burst and will eat it as old as it comes.
If you really want to add a decadent touch for a dinner party or get together and lull them all into feeling that they are in a high end restaurant (which none of us can afford right now) serve the brownie pieces warm with a dollop of brandy cream.
Brandy Cream
Ingredients
240mls cold double cream
1-3 tbsp icing sugar
1-3 tbsp brandy ( cheap is good )
1tsp vanilla extract
Method
Whip cream and icing sugar in a bowl until soft peaks form
Fold in brandy and vanilla extract with a metal spoon
Whip until thick enough to dollop onto a plate
This luxurious cream can be made up to 2 days in advance and stored , covered with clingfilm , in the fridge.
Don't tell Chahna, but I actually think that once you have mastered both chocolate brownies and cheesecake, you probably don't need to learn any more desserts (I am definitely a "repeat-the-dish"person ). But if you want to expand your mind (always a good thing)and express your creative urge , then move onto the next post and a new challenge.
Comments