Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Fifteen Chocolate Brownies


Wow, I can’t believe I’ve never made brownies before. These are such an intensely good chocolate hit & so easy to make, not even one electrical appliance needed, need I say more. The recipe is from Cook with Jamie, I skipped the nuts as Michael is a bit allergic & I need him to help me eat them or I’ll end up eating the entire tray myself. Also I used glace cherries as for the life of me I couldn’t find any type of dried cherry out there, if anyone knows where in Melbourne I can pick these up please help as I have a couple of recipes that call for them though the glace cherries seemed to work quite well & I didn’t want to go without as Michael loves a cherry ripe & therefore anything chocolaty that uses cherries too. Yum!

Fifteen Chocolate Brownies

250g unsalted butter
200g dark chocolate, 70% cocoa solids, broken up
optional: 150g dried sour cherries
optional: 150g chopped nuts
80g cocoa powder, sifted
65g plain flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
350g caster sugar
4 large free range eggs
optional: zest of 1 orange
optional: 250ml crème fraiche

Preheat oven to 180c. Line a 30cm rectangular baking tin with greaseproof paper. In a large bowl over some simmering water, melt the butter & chocolate & mix until smooth. Add the cherries & nuts (if using) & stir together. In a separate bowl, mix together the cocoa, flour, baking powder & sugar, then add this to the chocolate & stir well together. Beat the eggs & mix in until you have a silky consistency.

Pour your mixture into the tray & place in the oven for around 25 minutes. Don’t overcook them, the skewer should not come out clean. The brownies should be slightly springy on the outside but still gooey in the middle. Allow to cool in the tray then transfer to a large chopping board & cut into chunky squares. Serve with a dollop of crème fraiche mixed with orange zest or eat them as they are.


4 comments:

neil said...

I think that was wise to make sure your other half could help with the eating, they look scrumptious. I've seen dried cherries at the Essential Ingredient in the Prahran Market, not sure if they are sour or not, but they aren't cheap.

Anonymous said...

Loves me some brownies.

I've seen dried cherries in the Safeway at Barkly Square in East Brunswick.

Unfortunately I'd already bought Whisk & Pin brand for a hefty price in David Jones.

I tried them in a fruit and nut loaf from Bill Granger's "Every day", and to be honest, I think raisins would have worked just as well - there wasn't a really intense cherry hit for me.

Kathryn said...

Hi Ange,
I made these a few months ago with macadamias and cranberries (I could find dried cherries but they cost an absolute fortune) and loved them too. The fruit and nut really made a difference! Mmm.

Ange said...

Thks for all of the cherry tips guys - now I can hunt down those cherries for next time they are needed!