Before the dawn of the age of the cup cake brownies were the indulgence of choice. They were at every food festival and served at every dinner party. I admit that I have developed quite an addiction to cup cakes but there is always a soft spot in my heart for a decadent chocolate brownie. Brownie connoisseurs will tell you that the best brownies are slightly crisp on the outside but fudgy on the inside. To achieve this perfect texture it is important not to overcook brownies. Take them out of the oven while they are still slightly uncooked in the centre and glossy on top.
This recipe is perfect if you are after brownies with a minimum of effort and mess. The brownies can be cooked using one saucepan and a slice tray. The secret to the gooey texture is the use of cocoa powder in this recipe rather than actual chocolate. Make sure you buy the best quality cocoa powder you can afford as you will be able to taste the difference.
Ingredients
1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup cocoa
2 cups caster sugar
4 eggs
1 cup plain flour
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 tsp vanilla essence
Pinch of salt
1. Preheat oven to 180C.
2. Melt butter gently. Remove from the heat and stir in cocoa and then sugar.
3. Break eggs into mixture one at a time, then add flour, walnuts, vanilla and salt and stir to combine.
4. Pour into a greased slice tin.
5. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until cooked but still soft in the centre.
6. Leave in the tin to cool completely before cutting into slices.
This recipe is adapted from a recipe for "Stan's Famous Brownies" featured in Epicure several years ago. I have made it many times since and it is always a winner.
If you liked this you might be interested in reading my recipe for chocolate spiked raspberry brownies or read about the best commercially produced brownies I have tasted at the Real Food Festival.
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