I've been asked for my brownie recipe more times than I could count and I do not share. I just don't.
It's so versatile, it can take innumerable versions and variations and it still works. It triples and quadruples (yes, quadruples into a giant baking dish for really tall brownies) easily. It's been my secret recipe, lovingly cherished. Until now.
Selfishness constrains me no longer. Here it is, both in standard and Thermo cooker methods. No, you can't have cup measurements, use a scale. It's not that hard and means a more consistent epic deliciousness. TL;DR is at the bottom.
The brownies I made for this post were pure, no adulteration.
Nae’s Epic Brownies of Sheer Deliciousness.
Ingredients:
175g Butter (room temp or sliced up into little chunks)
250g sugar (I always use brown)
3 eggs
80g plain flour
45g Cocoa
0.5 cup adulteration of choice (choc chips, nuts etc)
Method/s:
Prep a Slice pan, or a medium square cake pan with greased sides and a paper bottom. Set your oven to 160 (fan forced)
Melt butter, sugar and cocoa together.
In the thermo it means 3-4 minutes at 90degrees.
It should look like this. -->
Dark, Delicious and amazing to stick your finger in for a lick. ...Go on, do it.
Adding your cocoa now means the cocoa powder is 'bloomed' and is a truly rich flavour.
If you have leftover chocolate like grated up bits from decorating, or Easter eggs, whatever, add that once the initial melt is done. If you're thermo cooking, do the same as above but for another 20 seconds to incorporate. If you're using a saucepan or microwave, keep cooking til it's smooth.
Mix in other ingredients beside adulteration until just barely mixed.
In the thermo, that means 20 seconds, speed 9. Any blade works, just no butterfly.
(Or you can pulse if you're feeling lazy. But it's best to not be lazy when it comes to brownies this good)
(Or you can pulse if you're feeling lazy. But it's best to not be lazy when it comes to brownies this good)
Scrape down the sides, and any little bits of flour that fall in are to be ignored. It's fine, they will cook in.
Gently fold in your adulteration. See notes below for ideas.
Remember: the less you mix, beat, fiddle etc... the better your brownies are.
Pour into your prepared pan and tap a few times hard on the bench to shift air bubbles.
Bake 20 mins 160degrees.
Please watch it, and make sure it's not over cooking. Every oven, every room temperature, every baking dish contributes and makes the baking time different.The top should look like this. Shiny, but set. If you touch it, it should give a little but not really crack around your fingerprint.
The inside should look like this. Dense. Not GOOEY but very moist.How easy was that? You'll be the queen of afternoon tea with these babies. Or serve hot with icecream for an amazing dessert.
ADULTERATION NOTES
I use cups for this, purely because these ingredients all differ so much in weight
Choc Cherry - Add 1/2 cup coconut with the flour then sprinkle the top of the brownies with 1/2 cup chopped red glace cherries immediately before baking.
Choc chip - add 1/2 cup of any baking chips. Caramel bits are amazing, but best sprinkled over the top immediately before baking.
Banana Delish - This is especially amazing with icecream and served hot. Pulverise 3/4 cup dried banana chips before you start and add when you add flour. Reduce the sugar by 30g if you don't like it super-sweet.
Peanut Butter - Try warming 3T and drizzling over the hot brownies. It's different and simply amazing once it's cooled.
Rum and Raisin - Add 1tsp rum flavour or 2T dark rum to the mix and sprinkle 1/2 cup raisins before baking. Or you could soak the raisins in rum if you think ahead, but I suck at that.
Mixed nuts - add whatever you like with nuts. Salted nuts work well believe it or not, but give them a shake first to get the excess off.
My triple choc variation needs a post of it's own so will save those details for later.
Hope you enjoy the brownie goodness. And don't just give this recipe away. Share it, with love.
TL:DR
Nae’s Brownies.
175g Butter
250g sugar
3 eggs
45g Cocoa
0.5 cup adulteration of choice (chocchips, nuts etc)
Melt butter, cocoa and sugar.
Mix in other ingredients
Bake 20 mins 160degrees.
