Chocolate Brownies

Even if I say it myself, these are the best brownies you’ll ever taste. Chunks of

milk and dark chocolate are folded through the mix for extra richness, while

the cocoa nibs scattered on top provide nuttiness and a little crunch. Perfect

with a cup of tea, they’re equally delicious still slightly warm from the oven

with a scoop of ice cream.

Makes 12-15

Ingredients

• 225g plain chocolate (35-45% cocoa solids), broken into small pieces

• 225g unsalted butter, in pieces

• 3 large eggs

• 225g caster sugar

• 75g self-raising flour

• ½ tsp fine salt

• 100g dark chocolate chunks

• 100g milk chocolate chunks

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 tbsp cocoa nibs

Method

1. Heat your oven to 180°C/Fan 160°C/Gas 4. Line a 29 x 22cm brownie tin with baking paper.

2. Melt the chocolate with the butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, making sure the base of the bowl is not touching the water. Stir until smooth and set aside to cool.

3. In a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar together, using a hand-held electric whisk, until pale and thickened. Add the melted chocolate and butter mix and fold in until thoroughly combined. Fold in the flour, salt, chocolate chunks and vanilla extract.

4. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and sprinkle over the cocoa nibs. Bake for 25–30 minutes until the top is cracked and crusty. To check that it is ready, insert a skewer into the centre; as you remove it a little mixture should still stick to the skewer.

5. Leave the brownie to cool completely in the tin then cut into individual pieces. Store in an airtight tin.

Taken from Paul Hollywood’s BAKE, published by Bloomsbury

Photograph © Haarala Hamilton