Brownies

Brownies

45 min bake, 180°C, 23cm square tin

Ingredients

Makes one 23cm tin

unsalted butter    285g
chocolate          225g
granulated sugar   400g
dark brown sugar   100g
eggs               6
vanilla extract    9g
flour              125g
cocoa powder       75g
salt               12g
espresso powder    8g
flaky sea salt     pinch

Use 60–70% cacao chocolate and Dutch-processed cocoa.
Reserve 25g of the cocoa powder for step 5.

Recipe

1. Heat the oven to 180°C. Grease the tin and line with parchment paper.

2. Roughly chop the chocolate and add to a bowl with the cocoa powder (reserve 25g for later) and espresso powder. Pour the hot melted butter over and stir until smooth.

3. Add the eggs, vanilla and both sugars to the bowl of a stand mixer and beat on high until thick and pale, like a thick pancake batter.

4. Pour the chocolate mixture into the stand mixer bowl and stir to combine with everything.

5. Detach the bowl from the mixer. Sift the flour, reserved cocoa powder, and salt directly on top of the batter. Gently fold by hand until just combined, being careful not to knock out the air.

6. Pour into the tin and smooth the top. At this point you can press any toppings into the surface if you like: salted pretzels, crispy M&Ms, whatever works. Bake for 45 minutes. After about 20 minutes, pull the tin out and bang it firmly on the counter, then put it back in. This cracks the top and gives you a fudgy texture throughout.

7. A toothpick should come out with some wet batter, not clean. Leave to cool completely in the tin before cutting.

8. Wipe the knife between cuts for clean squares. Top with a pinch of flaky sea salt if you like.