My Favourite Brownie Recipe

For today’s Tea Reads episode on my YouTube channel, my Mum and I are baking our favourite brownie recipe, which was first given to my Mum by a friend of hers when I was only a toddler. In the run-up to Valentine’s Day, I’m definitely in the mood for some chocolate temptation, and these brownies are perfect: squidgy inside, with a crisp, crackly crust on top. You can watch us making them here, and below is the recipe:

My Favourite Brownie Recipe

Ingredients

150g dark chocolate

8oz butter

5 eggs, whisked

1 cup flour

2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Additional butter for greasing

Icing sugar (optional) to decorate

Instructions

Grease a 9" square tin with butter and set the oven to 180°C (350° F, gas mark 4).

Melt the butter and chocolate together in the microwave (I melt it in 30-40 second bursts so as to make sure not to burn it), or place a bowl over simmering water on the hob (making sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water) and melt the chocolate and butter gradually in the bowl. Once the chocolate and butter is melted, remove from heat. In a large bowl, add the sugar to the melted butter & chocolate mixture and stir to combine. Add the whisked eggs and combine, then stir in the flour and vanilla essence.

Pour the brownie batter into the prepared tin and place in the oven. Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes. The brownies should be flaky on the outside, but gooey on the inside, so a toothpick inserted in the middle won't come out completely clean; a few crumbs will still cling.