Rich Dark Chocolate Brownies

I wanted to bake something for a dear friend of mine who is leaving Sydney and moving back to New Caledonia. It had to be something chocolaty, something rich and something that does not require refrigeration. So I am left with slices, cookies, cake or brownies.

I was going to make my nutella slice which I usually do for such special occasions as I can spell out words with mnm's on top, but I did not have an nutella OR mnm's at home, and I think I wanted to try something different. Cookies......well I am yet to find a recipe that blows me away, and cake (or tarts) can be very impressive but I didn't have enough time after work, otherwise I would have.

SO brownies it is. Last time I baked brownies I was told they were nice, but as I was also fasting could not try them......however this time I had to be a bit more careful as I knocked a glass of water over the last lot as soon as they came out of the oven ans was only able to salvage half. It was quite a disappointment, so I had to try hard to not be clumsy like I always am.

So rich dark chocolate brownies it is, nuts were an option, but I opted against as I wanted a simple flavour which hits you with chocolaty goodness.

Epicure, which is the VIC version of Good Living, tested many brownie recipes in 2005 so I thought to base my recipe off one of these would be half decent. The recipe is from marie claire Flavours. I wanted to be greedy and make them richer and add even more chocolate.

See article here

You all know I enjoy baking and it wasn't really hard to resist eating some of the things I made whilst I was fasting, it its times like this when it is that much harder to say no...

.....licking the bowl clean :(



Ingredients

185g butter

250g dark chocolate (I used 76% Dark Chocolate)

50g very dark chocolate (85% Lindt or equivalent)

3 eggs

1 1/4 cups caster sugar

2/3 cup plain flour

1 1/2 cups dark chocolate bits (or chopped chocolate)

Method

1) Melt butter and both dark chocolates together.

2) Beat eggs with sugar until pale and thick.

3) Fold chocolate mixture into egg mixture.

4) Add flour and chocolate bits to mixture and stir until combined.

5) Bake in a lined square tin and cook for 35 minutes on 170 degrees.

6) Allow to cool for at least 2hrs (preferably overnight) then cut with a heated sharp knife and serve *

* If you cut it while it is warm it will crumble and break, you will not achieve straight smooth lines.