Squidgy Chocolate Brownies Recipes

BEST EVER CHOCOLATE BROWNIES RECIPE

Steps:

• Cut 185g unsalted butter into small cubes and tip into a medium bowl. Break 185g dark chocolate into small pieces and drop into the bowl.
• Fill a small saucepan about a quarter full with hot water, then sit the bowl on top so it rests on the rim of the pan, not touching the water. Put over a low heat until the butter and chocolate have melted, stirring occasionally to mix them.
• Remove the bowl from the pan. Alternatively, cover the bowl loosely with cling film and put in the microwave for 2 minutes on High. Leave the melted mixture to cool to room temperature.
• While you wait for the chocolate to cool, position a shelf in the middle of your oven and turn the oven on to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
• Using a shallow 20cm square tin, cut out a square of non-stick baking parchment to line the base. Tip 85g plain flour and 40g cocoa powder into a sieve held over a medium bowl. Tap and shake the sieve so they run through together and you get rid of any lumps.
• Chop 50g white chocolate and 50g milk chocolate into chunks on a board.
• Break 3 large eggs into a large bowl and tip in 275g golden caster sugar. With an electric mixer on maximum speed, whisk the eggs and sugar. They will look thick and creamy, like a milk shake. This can take 3-8 minutes, depending on how powerful your mixer is. You'll know it's ready when the mixture becomes really pale and about double its original volume. Another check is to turn off the mixer, lift out the beaters and wiggle them from side to side. If the mixture that runs off the beaters leaves a trail on the surface of the mixture in the bowl for a second or two, you're there.
• Pour the cooled chocolate mixture over the eggy mousse, then gently fold together with a rubber spatula. Plunge the spatula in at one side, take it underneath and bring it up the opposite side and in again at the middle. Continue going under and over in a figure of eight, moving the bowl round after each folding so you can get at it from all sides, until the two mixtures are one and the colour is a mottled dark brown. The idea is to marry them without knocking out the air, so be as gentle and slow as you like.
• Hold the sieve over the bowl of eggy chocolate mixture and resift the cocoa and flour mixture, shaking the sieve from side to side, to cover the top evenly.
• Gently fold in this powder using the same figure of eight action as before. The mixture will look dry and dusty at first, and a bit unpromising, but if you keep going very gently and patiently, it will end up looking gungy and fudgy. Stop just before you feel you should, as you don't want to overdo this mixing.
• Finally, stir in the white and milk chocolate chunks until they're dotted throughout.
• Pour the mixture into the prepared tin, scraping every bit out of the bowl with the spatula. Gently ease the mixture into the corners of the tin and paddle the spatula from side to side across the top to level it.
• Put in the oven and set your timer for 25 mins. When the buzzer goes, open the oven, pull the shelf out a bit and gently shake the tin. If the brownie wobbles in the middle, it's not quite done, so slide it back in and bake for another 5 minutes until the top has a shiny, papery crust and the sides are just beginning to come away from the tin. Take out of the oven.
• Leave the whole thing in the tin until completely cold, then, if you're using the brownie tin, lift up the protruding rim slightly and slide the uncut brownie out on its base. If you're using a normal tin, lift out the brownie with the foil. Cut into quarters, then cut each quarter into four squares and finally into triangles.
• They'll keep in an airtight container for a good two weeks and in the freezer for up to a month.

SQUIDGY CHOCOLATE BROWNIES

Steps:

• 7"x11" swiss roll tin and it is worth lining the tin with non-stick baking parchment even though it is a little on the dear side. Cut it to fit up the sides by slitting the corners and creasing it - it might curl up but will get weighted down with the mixture.
• Break the choc and place with butter/marg in a bowl - recipe says in a bowl over hot water but this takes a while and is mainly to stop the chocolate from going funny. I usually put it in the microwave on low and keep taking it in and out stirring in between. Keep the setting low because otherwise the butter will splatter a lot and also the choc will go funny as it melts. Be patient! Once it has melted and you've combined the two ingredients leave it to cool.
• Heat oven to about mark 4 or 350/170degrees C
• Lightly beat the eggs and sugar together, then add the raisins and blend into the cooled mixture, fold in the flour, pinch of salt. Mix well.
• Pour into the tin and level. You may have to stretch it a bit to reach the edges and corner of the tin.
• Bake for 35-40 mins till coming from the sides and firm in the centre. Leave to cool in the tin. It will crack open on the top and should be cooked but soft in the middle. Carefully turn out onto a cooling rack by putting the rack on top of the cooked cake and turn over peel back the non-stick paper and voila!

NIGEL SLATER'S VERY GOOD CHOCOLATE BROWNIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180° C or 160° C in a fan oven.
• Line a 23cm square baking tin with baking paper.
• Put the sugar and butter into the bowl of a mixer and beat for a few minutes until white and fluffy.
• Meanwhile break the chocolate into pieces. Set 50g of it aside and melt the rest in a bowl over a pan of simmering water.
• Remove the chocolate from the heat.
• Chop the rest into small pieces.
• Lightly beat the eggs and extra yolk in a bowl.
• Separately sift the flour, cocoa and baking powder with a bit of salt.
• With the machine running slowly, add in the eggs a bit at a time.
• Take the bowl from the mixer and add in the chocolate.
• Lastly fold in the flour and cocoa powder mixture, gently but firmly, trying not to knock any air out.
• Put the mixture in the tin and bake for 25-30 minutes.
• It will rise slightly and be a bit softer in the middle.
• A toothpick in the centre should come out a bit stick but not with raw batter on it.
• If not, bake until the batter is set.
• The brownies will solidify a bit on cooling so if they appear squishy be patient -- hard I know, but it's worth it!