Ingredients:
100g (4oz) plain chocolate drops
2 large eggs
2 large eggs
125g (5oz) butter
275g (10z) caster sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
50g (2oz) self-raising flour
25g (1oz) plain flour
2 tbsp cocoa powder
100g (4oz) walnuts
For a 2ocm (8in) square cake tin, 6.5cm (2.5in) deep it will take 35mins at 180 deg C (350 deg F)
Recipe:
1) Heat oven. Wipe a little oil on the insides of the tin, cut baking paper to fit the bottom of the tin and place in the tin.
2) Melt chocolate using a bain-marie and break eggs into a small bowl and beat
3) Put the butter, sugar and vanilla extract into a mixing bowl and beat until fluffy. Add eggs, a little at a time, beating between each addition
2) Melt chocolate using a bain-marie and break eggs into a small bowl and beat
3) Put the butter, sugar and vanilla extract into a mixing bowl and beat until fluffy. Add eggs, a little at a time, beating between each addition
4) Sift both types of flour and cocoa powder into the bowl, add the melted chocolate and stir to mix well
5) Cut nuts into small pieces and stir into mixture
6) Place mixture in tin and smooth over. Bake for 35mins. (They are ready when slightly risen, and a crust has formed on top, but still soft in the middle
7) When done, leave in tin for 20mins then cut into squares.
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Verdict:
Well, let's be fair I don't follow recipes word by word, or ingredient to ingredient which often results in variations and the inability to recreate something amazing.
In my haste to bake, I realise that I misread the recipe as instead of oil spread around the tin I used butter, and alot of it which strongly leads me to believe that its why the bottom of the brownie batch ended up covered in more grease than the spring rolls in Yi-Ban (see Come Dine With Mei post), and resulted in a oily fight to remove the baking paper. I shall blame this for the overly soft nature of the brownies in the bottom half and hope that the trick of leaving it to air on a wire rack will help transform it into something amazing. We shall see...
7 hours later
A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. the brownies are still moist but have set just enough so that it doesn't break when you lift a piece. I have never had this recipe fail on me even though I have my doubts somewhere along the baking process, but the result its just divine and is like a fine wine/cheese, it gets better with age. (Although you don't leave it more than a couple of days..you might run the risk of someone else finishing it off!).
p.s. I used milk chocolate as the supermarket ran out of plain chocolate drops.
**Addition** This has now been tested and verified by 8 independent taste testers. The description of amazing still stands.
Quotes:
"Delivered in terms of taste and texture..ticked all the right boxes, it was irresistibly gooey but still had that bite, and while it was sumptuously chocolaty it still felt light and not at all sickly"
"mmmmmmm, these are seriously goood"
i can confirm they were extremely good and the blogger is not lying... not that she ever would..
ReplyDeleteBrownie Points for Mei...
ReplyDeleteIf there is one thing I always look out for on any menu then it has to be chocolate brownies so I was obviously delighted when I learnt Mei would be baking this favourite of mine. And you will be pleased to know she didn't disappoint!
In fact, as someone who has enjoyed more than their fair share of these heavenly treats in his time, I have to say these were up there with the best. Let’s start off by noting the lovely chocolatey aroma which teased you as these little gems were being concocted. Ugly people will tell you looks aren't everything but these brownies even looked pretty damn mouth-watering as they rested on the baking tray where they were seductively whispering "eat me, eat me" (ok I may have imagined that bit).
So after bravely resisting temptation all day, I am finally given the all clear by the captain of this chocolate brownie ship to let my taste buds do the judging. With the brownies facing sky high expectations from such a highly refined palate, I feared that I may be left with that sinking feeling when something fails to live up to the hype...
Instead, these little parcels of joy duly delivered both in terms of taste and texture. This brownie certainly ticked all the right boxes, it was irresistibly gooey but still had that bite a brownie really needs, and while it was sumptuously chocolatey it still felt light and not at all sickly - the balance was just right.
Indeed, the only real criticism I can level at the patisserie maestro who cooked up this baking masterpiece is that I was only allowed one brownie. Call me greedy but just uno brownio, what’s that all about?? On that rare occasion you actually hit gold all you want to do is gobble it up again and again... Yes, I applaud that she left me wanting more but let’s be honest even after a whole batch I would have felt that way!
*** Luckily I can now note that Mei has made a second batch. They are pretty awful, tastes like the polystyrene packaging you get (not that I have ever tried to eat it) but it is the thought that counts.
By Gregg Wallace (Greengrocer and Masterchef Presenter)