A sweet kitchen tea, or a spoil-her Mother’s Day treat …
nothing beats a chocolate brownie. Pair with wine for brownie points!
Dark chocolate brownies with pecans
These dark chocolate brownies, topped with fresh seasonal berries, strike just the right balance between richness and freshness – indulgent without feeling heavy. The combination of deep cocoa, juicy fruit and a touch of brightness from the berries is heavenly.
You’ll need: 1 cup cake flour, ¾ cup cocoa powder, 250 g melted butter, 1¾ cups light brown sugar, ½ tsp salt,
1 tsp vanilla extract, 4 extra large eggs, 100 g dark chocolate, chopped into small chunks, 100g roughly chopped pecan nuts (or walnuts)
To make: Line a 25 x 37 cm shallow baking tray with non-stick baking paper and preheat the oven to 180°C.
In a mixing bowl, sift the flour & cocoa powder together. In a second mixing bowl, add the melted butter, sugar and salt and whisk together briefly until well combined. Add the vanilla, then add the eggs one by one, whisking briefly after each addition until incorporated before adding the next. Add the sifted flour mixture, then use a spatula to stir until no floury pockets remain. Add the chopped chocolate and nuts and stir until just combined, then transfer the mixture to the lined tray and spread it evenly into all corners using a spatula.
Bake for 13 to 15 minutes (for a softer, gooey result) or 18 to 20 minutes (for a more cakey result), then remove from the oven and cool completely in the pan. Cut into squares and remove the paper. Store in an airtight container. Best served at room temperature.
Tip: For a gluten-free version, substitute the wheat cake flour with 1 cup gluten-free flour mixture, found at many health shops.
