Chocolate Brownies

Chocolate brownies are one of the easiest and most delicious cakes to make.   They also make fabulous gifts, when you wrap them up in baking parchment and coloured ribbon and add a pretty label.

This recipe is especially easy, because all the mixing is done in one pan.

But you do need to have a tin that is the right size.  Most supermarkets sell brownie tins – they are about 20cm square and have sides that are about 3cm deep. You can get one for as little as £3 and it will last for years.  This recipe will fit a tin that size.

Ingredients:

125grams of dark chocolate

You can tell how strong chocolate will be buy the percentage of cocoa solids it contains.   Look at the wrapper to check.   The more cocoa solids it contains, the stronger the chocolate taste, and the more expensive the chocolate!   For this recipe, you will need a minimum of 50% cocoa solids.

125 grams of butter
2 large eggs beaten in a bowl
200g of caster sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla essence

- if you don’t have this don’t worry, but it will make your brownies taste much nicer

75 grams of plain flour

Equipment you will need:

A brownie tin (see above)
Greaseproof paper or baking parchment - if you have this, it will make it easier to get your brownies out of the tin.  If you don’t have any, just grease the tin with butter instead and sprinkle on a bit of flour.
A medium sized pan - if possible, one with a heavy bottom.

What to do:

1. Put the oven onto 180C/Gas Mark 4. Measure the greaseproof paper so it fits the tin, or grease and flour the brownie tin. You do this so your brownies will come out of the tin easily when they are cooked.

2.Put the butter in the pan and put on a low heat. You want the butter to melt slowly. As the butter is melting, break the chocolate into pieces and put in the pan with the butter so they can melt together. If you turn the heat up too high, the chocolate will go all grainy and you don’t want that to happen.

3. When the chocolate lumps have nearly melted away, turn off the heat and stir the chocolate mixture until it is smooth.

4. Stir in the caster sugar, and then the eggs and the vanilla essence.

5. Finally stir in the flour until it is thoroughly mixed in.

6. Tip the mixture into the brownie tin and smooth over.

7. Put the tin into the oven – Careful you don’t burn yourself – and bake for 20 minutes.

8. The hardest part about making brownies is checking when they will be done. They will look papery and dry on top, but check that the middle of the tin is not wobbly. It should be just firm. Don’t leave them in too long, or else they will go dry. You want them to be cooked, but squidgy!

9. Leave the brownies to cool in the tin for 10 minutes while they set a bit more.

10. Then cut them into 16 small squares (less if you want bigger ones) and careful take them out of the tin. Taking the first one out will be tricky. Don’t worry if it goes wrong and breaks. That one can be yours to test!

Making these brownies will get easier and easier every time you do it.  People will be amazed at what a brilliant cook you are!

Make this recipe your own!

Why not add some of your favourite ingredients.    Nuts such as walnuts or macadamia would be good, or what about white chocolate buttons on the top?

My favourite is to put a layer of cream cheese in the middle of the mixture. Just spread out half the chocolate mixture, arrange slices of very cold cream cheese in the middle, and spread over the rest of the chocolate mixture and cook as normal.

Or instead of cream cheese, why not try “After Eight Mint” brownies! Delicious!

Cooking Skill

Lining a Tin with Baking Paper

Story

The Very Naughty Brownies

Remember to let us know how you do: