Cocoa Brownies

My friend came to visit last week, and she wanted to try some of my chocolate recipe, in fact I could make my old brownie recipe but I took it as a chance to try a new recipe (haha, I always be like that). This recipe comes from ...................... again (ok, I fall in love with this book, it’s not the design of the book that touch my heart but the contents and recipes are great, I have to admit). The method is quite easy and the result is good, as always I reduce a bit of sugar (I use 210g of sugar, but I give you the original amount in the recipe). I find the taste of the brownies is better after one day of resting, and the texture is moister. It’s a good alternative recipe if you are run out of the chocolate bars and still want to make a good brownie.

Cocoa Brownies

MAKES 16 SQUARES

115g / 4oz	butter
45g / 1½ oz	cocoa powder (Dutch-Process Cocoa)
2	eggs, beaten
225g / 8oz	caster sugar
1 teaspoon	vanilla essence
55g / 2 oz	self-raising flour (or ¼ tsp baking powder with cake flour)
115 g	any kinds of nut, chopped (I use cashews)
55g/ 2oz	chocolate chips

1 Heat the oven to 180°C/ 350°F/ gas mark 4. Grease and line the base of a 20cm/ 8 in square tin.

2 Melt the butter over a low heat, then stir in the cocoa powder. Leave to cool.

3 Beat the eggs with the caster sugar until pale, then fold in the cocoa mixture.

4 Stir in the vanilla then sift the flour over the mixture and fold in.

5 Spread half the mixture into the prepared tin and sprinkle with half the walnuts and chocolate chips. Cover with the remaining mixture then the rest of the walnuts and chocolate chips.

6 Bake in the centre of the oven for 30 minutes or until set. A wooden cocktail stick inserted into the centre should come out damp but should not have any uncooked mixture clinging to it.

7 Place the tin on a wire rack to cool before cutting into squares.