Brownie-licious

Most of you by now will know I love to pretend I’m a bit of a Nigella. Though I love cooking and trying new things for dinner, I have a massive soft spot for baking. After a rubbish day at work there’s nothing I love more than shutting myself in the kitchen and whipping up a batch of cupcakes or cookies - and I can’t say I’ve ever heard the Mr complaining either! I thought I’d share with you one of my absolute favourite recipes for the best chocolate brownies I’ve ever tasted – they’re perfect warm with a big scoop of Ben and Jerry’s Vanilla Ice Cream.

• 250g unsalted butter
• 200g dark 70% chocolate broken up
• 80g cocoa powder
• 65g plain flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 360g caster sugar
• 4 large eggs

Optional extras: 75g dried sour cherries or 50g chopped nuts or 75g chocolate chunks (dark, milk or white) (or any combination of the above!)

1. Preheat oven to 180 / gas mark 4

2. Melt the chocolate and butter in a bain marie (a bowl over a pan of boiling water)

3. In a separate bowl, mix together the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder and sugar, then add to the chocolate/butter mixture

4. Beat the eggs in a separate bowl, then add too the chocolatey goo and add mix well

5. Add any extras you fancy and fold in

6. Pour the mixture into a baking tin lined with greaseproof paper

7. Bake for 25 minutes

8. Cool in the tray, then slice up and eat!

Enjoy!!

xxx