Chocolate Brownie

A dense, fudgy brownie with a crisp top and a molten middle.

Ingredients

• 200 g dark chocolate, 70% cocoa
• 170 g unsalted butter
• 200 g caster sugar
• 3 eggs
• 100 g plain flour
• 50 g cocoa powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 50 g dark chocolate chips
• A pinch of salt

Method

1. Line a 20 cm square baking tin with baking paper, letting it stand proud of the sides.

2. Melt the chocolate and butter together over a low heat, then stir in the sugar until it dissolves. Let it cool for 10 minutes. If you pour hot chocolate over the eggs you will scramble them.

3. Beat the eggs in, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla and a pinch of salt.

4. Sift in the flour and cocoa powder and fold until just combined. Stop the moment the flour disappears; overmixing gives a cakery brownie.

5. Tip into the tin and scatter the chocolate chips over the top.

6. Bake at 180C, fan, for 22 to 25 minutes. The centre should still look slightly underdone when it comes out.

7. Leave it in the tin to cool completely before cutting. Cut it while warm and it goes gooey in the middle.

Notes

Do not overmix once the flour goes in. A few streaks are better than a tough, cakery brownie.