These chocolate brownies are ultra-rich, fudgy and wonderfully easy to bake. Made with 70% dark chocolate and two kinds of sugar, they come out of the oven soft and almost molten in the centre. They also travel beautifully, which is why we pack them as little treats for transfer buses and picnics.
Why these chocolate brownies work
Melting dark chocolate and butter together gives a deep, glossy base. Light brown sugar and white sugar bring a crackled top and a chewy middle, while just a little flour and cocoa keeps the texture dense rather than cakey. It takes fifteen minutes to prepare and twenty in the oven.
CHOCOLATE BROWNIES
90g 70% dark chocolate
170g butter
3 eggs
120g sugar
120g light brown sugar
40g cake wheat f lour
10g unsweetened cocoa powder
A pinch of salt
A handful of walnuts, hazelnuts, pecan nuts or chocolate chips (optional)
Preheat the oven to 160°C. Line and grease a 20 x 20cm baking dish.
Melt the chocolate and butter together over a double-boiler. Set it aside and allow
to cool slightly.
In a mixing bowl, lightly whisk the eggs with both types of sugar. Mix the melted
chocolate into the egg mixture. Sift in the f lour, cocoa powder and salt. Mix gently to
combine. Pour the batter into the lined baking dish and sprinkle with nuts or chocolate
chips, if using. Bake the brownies for 20 minutes, until soft, almost molten,
in the centre.
Allow the brownies to cool in the pan, before cutting into squares or rectangles.
Tips for the best chocolate brownies
Let the melted chocolate and butter cool slightly before mixing it into the eggs, so the eggs don’t scramble. Take the brownies out while the centre is still soft, as they continue to set while they cool. Leave them in the pan until completely cool before cutting, which gives you clean squares. Walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans or chocolate chips are all lovely additions.