Brownies
Dense, fudgy chocolate brownies with a thin, crackled top, made with melted dark chocolate and a little cocoa for depth.
Method
- 1
Heat the oven to 180°C. Line a 20 cm square tin with baking paper, leaving some overhanging so you can lift the brownies out.
- 2
Put the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, without the bowl touching the water.
- 3
Stir now and then until melted and glossy, then lift the bowl off the pan.
- 4
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar and vanilla with an electric mixer until thick, pale and roughly doubled in volume, about 4 minutes.
- 5
Pour in the warm chocolate mixture and fold it in until no streaks remain.
- 6
Sift the flour, cocoa and salt over the top.
- 7
Fold gently with a spatula until no dry flour shows, keeping as much air in the batter as you can.
- 8
Scrape the batter into the tin and spread it into the corners.
- 9
Bake until the top is shiny and crackled and the centre still has a slight wobble.
- 10
Leave to cool completely in the tin, where the middle will firm up.
- 11
Lift out using the paper and cut into 16 squares, wiping the knife clean between cuts.
Notes
- A skewer pushed into the middle should come out with moist crumbs, not wet batter. Overbaking is what turns brownies cakey.
- For very neat squares, chill the cooled slab for an hour before cutting.
Equipment
20 cm square baking tin, Baking paper, Heatproof bowl, Saucepan, Electric hand mixer, Sieve, Spatula