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Chocolate Brownies

04/06/2018 - Cakes

INGREDIENTS
375g  70 percent dark chocolate (250g for melting and 125g for stirring through)
250g unsalted butter
5 large eggs
440g  light soft brown sugar
1tsp vanilla bean paste
150g  plain flour
1/2tsp baking powder
25g sifted cocoa
 1/2tsp of sea salt 

A quick note on chocolate - I use pistolles (posh chocolate buttons, that melt brilliantly) - slabs work as well but need chopping.
This recipe works in a variety of sizes - a 23x32cm classic brownie tin or 23cm square tin are what I tend to use. 

1. Start by lining your chosen tin and preheating the oven to 160°C 
2. In a saucepan over a very low heat, melt the butter and 250g of chocolate together, stirring until glossy and smooth
3. In a bowl beat (using an electric or handheld mixer) the eggs, sugar and vanilla bean paste for a couple of minutes. Then sift in the flour, baking powder, cocoa powder and salt
4. Slowly pour in the melted chocolate and butter and fold together. Finally fold in 125g of pistolles/chopped dark chocolate.
5. Scrape the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 35 minutes
6. After 35 minutes, remove from the oven and give the tin a little shake - you are aiming for a gentle wobble in the middle - (if you feel it is too wobbly turn off the oven and leave the brownie in for a further 10 minutes). Allow the brownie to cool in the tin. To make cutting easier, I refrigerate the brownie until cold before cutting. This makes 16 slabs or 32 small squares and will keep in a tin for up to a week. They also freeze brilliantly and are perfect for batch baking