Extreme Brownies

"Chocolate can make you happy..." I'm totally convinced with this phrase when I had my first bite of these brownies.

Most brownies recipes mix both melted chocolate and butter together before baking. Interestingly, this recipe is slightly different and requires chocolate chunks to be absorbed into the brownies while baking. To enjoy these brownies to their maximum potential, I would strongly suggest these recommendations...

First: You will enjoy these to the fullest if you have to ditch any diets or calories counting...LOL

Second: I would strongly recommend to follow the recipe as strict as possible. As mentioned by the author of this article, the chocolate used has to be 55% cocoa chocolate for these brownies. Any changes and reduction of sugar or fat will change the ideal taste and texture of these ultimate brownies.

Third: These brownies are extra delicious when they are consumed with cream, ice cream or a glass of milk...

Try baking these and you will know what I mean...

Here's the recipe from an article on Herald Sun dated 31 July 2011. This recipe was extracted from The MasterChef magazine, Aug 2011 issue.

Please note that I have not make any modification to this recipe and would like include my personal notes in blue for my further reference.

200 g dark chocolate (55% cocoa solids - broken into pieces)
225 g unsalted butter roughly chopped
2/3 cup plain flour
2/3 cup Dutch cocoa, plus extra to dust
1 tsp baking powder
2 cup caster sugar
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tbsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 160°C. Grease and line a 20cm square cake pan, extending baking paper beyond the rim of cake pan.

Using a serrated knife, cut chocolate into rough 1.5cm chunks.

Place butter and a large pinch of salt (I use Tahitian vanilla salt) in a small pan. Melt over low-medium heat until almost melted. Set aside to finish melting and cool slightly

Sift flour, cocoa and baking powder into a large bowl. Stir in sugar.

Gradually add butter and eggs (alternatively) to dry mixture, stirring well to combine after each addition. Stir in vanilla, then chocolate, until combined.

Spoon mixture into lined pan. Using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon, spread mixture evenly.

Bake for 1 hour or until top has risen (it may dip slightly in the middle) and a skewer comes out clean (the skewer could be slightly oily, with a few crumbs attached. Make sure it doesn't have uncooked batter attached).

Cool completely in the pan. Then, using the paper as an aid, lift the brownie with paper from pan onto a chopping board. Peel paper away, dust with extra cocoa, if desired, then cut into 5 cm squares.

Note: I've baked these brownies in a 10cm x 20cm cake pan using half amount of the recipe and bake it at 140°C fan forced for 55 min.

Happy Baking
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