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Prep 20min (+1hr 30min cooling time)Bake 60-65minMakes about 20
This is the way the best classic chocolate brownies should be - fudgy but not too dense, rich but not too sweet. These ones are also studded with maple-encrusted roasted pecans to for an added welcome surprise!
Ingredients
Melted butter, to grease
250g good-quality dark chocolate (45-54 per cent cocoa), chopped
185g salted butter, cubed
3 eggs, at room temperature
220g (1 cup, firmly packed) brown sugar
1 teaspoon natural vanilla extract or essence
110g (¾ cup) plain flour
30g (¼ cup) Dutch cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking powder
Cocoa powder or icing sugar, to dust (optional)
Maple-Roasted Pecans
180g pecans
60ml (¼ cup) maple syrup
½ teaspoon sea salt flakes
Method
- To make the Maple-Roasted Pecans, preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Line an oven tray with sides with non-stick baking paper. Place the pecans, maple syrup and salt in a medium bowl and toss to combine. Spread the pecans in one layer on the oven tray and pour over any maple syrup left in the bowl. Cook in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, stirring often, until toasted and the maple syrup has thickened to a sticky consistency. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool completely on the tray. Once cool, coarsely chop the pecans.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 160°C (140°C fan-forced). Grease a 16cm x 26cm shallow slice tin and line the base and long sides with one piece of baking paper.
- Place the dark chocolate and butter in a medium heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (don’t let the base of the bowl touch the water). Stir occasionally until chocolate and butter melt and the mixture is smooth. Remove the bowl from saucepan and set aside to cool to room temperature.
- Use an electric mixture with a whisk attachment to whisk the eggs, sugar and vanilla until thick and pale. Add the cooled chocolate and whisk until just combined.
- Sift together the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder. Add to chocolate mixture and whisk on low speed until just combined. Add the chopped pecans to the chocolate mixture, breaking them up if they have started to stick together, and use a spatula to fold until evenly combined.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and spread evenly. Bake in preheated oven for 45-55 minutes or until moist crumbs cling to a skewer inserted in the centre. Remove from the oven and cool in tin on a wire rack (this will take about 1½ hours).
- Remove brownie from the tin using the baking paper to lift it out. Cut into portions and dust with cocoa powder or icing sugar, if desired, to serve.
Baker's Tips
- These brownies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature (in a cool spot), for up to 5 days. Serve at room temperature.
Prep 40min (+2hr cooling, 30min standing and 2hr chilling time)
Bake 45minMakes 10 serves
These trifles are a complete contradiction in terms when it comes to eating them – they are rich yet refreshing, sweet yet tart, indulgent yet light – and that’s what makes them so good.
Ingredients
Brownie cake
200g good-quality dark chocolate (45-54% cocoa solids), chopped
185g butter, cubed
220g (1 cup) caster sugar
3 eggs, at room temperature, lightly whisked
1 teaspoon natural vanilla extract or essence
185g (1¼ cups) plain flour
30g (¼ cup) Dutch cocoa powder
¾ teaspoon baking powder
Minted custard cream
375ml (1½ cups) milk
8 sprigs fresh mint
3 egg yolks
2 tablespoons caster sugar
1 teaspoon natural vanilla essence or extract
500ml (2 cups) thickened cream, whipped to soft peaks
Sweetened raspberries
600g frozen raspberries
55g (¼ cup) caster sugar
1½ tablespoons lemon juice
Method
- To make the Minted Custard Cream, put the milk and mint sprigs into a medium saucepan. Bring just to a simmer over a medium heat. Remove from heat and stand for 30 minutes to infuse. Remove the mint sprigs. Use a balloon whisk to whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a heatproof bowl. Gradually whisk in the milk mixture until smooth and well combined. Return to the heat and stir constantly with the whisk over medium heat until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon (do not simmer). Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Pass the custard through a sieve into a heatproof bowl. Cover the surface with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours or until chilled.
- To make the Brownie Cake, preheat oven to 160°C (140°C fan-forced). Grease a 20cm springform tin with melted butter and line the base with piece of non-stick baking paper. Place the chocolate and butter in a medium heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (don’t let the base of the bowl touch the water). Stir occasionally until chocolate and butter melt and the mixture is smooth. Remove bowl from saucepan and set aside to cool slightly. Use an electric mixer with a whisk attachment to whisk the sugar, eggs and vanilla until thick and pale and a ribbon trail forms when the whisk is lifted. Whisk in the melted chocolate mixture. Sift together the flour, cocoa and baking powder, add to the egg mixture and use a large metal spoon or spatula to fold in until just combined.
- Pour mixture into the prepared tin and spread evenly. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until moist crumbs cling to a skewer inserted in the centre. Remove from the oven and cool in tin on a wire rack (this will take about 2 hours). Use a large serrated knife to cut the cake in half horizontally and then break it into chunks.
- To make the Sweetened Raspberries, combine the frozen raspberries, sugar and lemon juice in a medium saucepan. Cover and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the raspberries have just thawed. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
- To finish the Minted Custard Cream, fold the whipped cream through the chilled custard.
- To assemble, layer the Custard Cream, Brownie Cake chunks, and Sweetened Raspberries and their juice in individual glasses.
Baker's Tips
- The Brownie Cake will keep in an airtight continer at room temperature for up to 4 days. The Minted Custard Cream and Sweetned Raspberries will keep in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to 2 days.
- You can also layer this trifle on one large serving dish and serve in scoops.
Photography by Alan Benson.
This recipe is from Anneka's SBS Food online column, Bakeproof: Brownies.
CLICK HERE for more Bakeproof columns and recipes.
Prep 25min (+ 1hr cooling time)Bake 45-50minMakes about 15
Essentially these fudgy brownies are marbled with an orange-scented cheesecake and they appear far more difficult to make than what they actually are. Perfect with a cuppa or a dollop of cream for dessert these brownies will satisfy any chocolate craving.
Ingredients
Brownie base
Melted butter, to grease250g good-quality dark chocolate (45-54% cocoa), chopped
150g salted butter, cubed
165g (¾ cup) caster sugar
3 eggs, at room temperature, lightly whisked
75g (½ cup) plain flour
30g (¼ cup) cocoa powder
¾ teaspoon baking powder
Cheesecake topping
200g cream cheese, at room temperature30g salted butter, at room temperature
1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest
55g (¼ cup) caster sugar
1 egg yolk, at room temperature
Method
- Preheat oven to 160ºC (140ºC fan-forced). Grease a 16cm x 26cm shallow slice tin with melted butter and line the base and long sides with one piece of baking paper.
- To make the Cheesecake Topping, use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese, butter and orange rind in a medium bowl until creamy and smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl when necessary. Add the sugar and beat until well combined. Add the egg yolk and beat well. Set aside.
- To make the Brownie Base, place the dark chocolate and butter in a medium heatproof bowl over a saucepan of gently simmering water (don’t let the base of the bowl touch the water). Stir occasionally until chocolate and butter melt and the mixture is smooth. Remove bowl from saucepan. Add the sugar and eggs and use a balloon whisk or wooden spoon to stir until well combined. Sift together the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder. Add to chocolate mixture and stir until just combined.
- Spoon half the Brownie Base mixture into prepared tin and spread evenly. Drop spoonfuls of almost all the Cheesecake Topping randomly over the brownie mixture. Top with spoonfuls of the remaining brownie mixture and then the remaining topping mixture. Tap the tin on the benchtop to settle the mixture. Use a butter knife or palette knife to swirl the two mixtures together to create a marbled effect and then tap on the bench again if necessary.
- Bake in preheated oven for 45-50 minutes or until moist crumbs cling to a skewer inserted in the centre. Remove from the oven and cool in tin on a wire rack (this will take about 1 hour).
- Carefully remove brownie from the tin using the baking paper to lift it out. Cut into portions to serve.
Baker's Tips
- These brownies will keep in an airtight container in the fridge, for up to 5 days. Serve at room temperature.
This recipe is from Anneka's SBS Food online column, Bakeproof: Easy Chocolate Cakes. CLICK HERE for more Bakeproof recipes.
Photography by Alan Benson.
Prep 30min (+10min chilling time)
Bake 12min (per batch)Makes about 36
These clever cookies are the hybrid of a brownie and a chocolate chip cookie – dark, rich and chewy on one side and crisp, simple and familiar on the other. The perfect cookie really!
Ingredients
Chocolate chip cookie dough
125g butter, softened
110g (½ cup) granulated white sugar
55g (¼ cup, firmly packed) brown sugar
1 teaspoon natural vanilla essence or extract
1 egg, at room temperature
185g (1¼ cups) plain flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
125g good-quality dark chocolate chips or coarsely chopped chocolate (45-54% cocoa)
Salted peanut brownie dough
125g good-quality dark chocolate (45-54% cocoa), chopped
100g butter, cubed
165g (¾ cup, firmly packed) brown sugar
1 egg, at room temperature
1 teaspoon natural vanilla essence or extract
150g (1 cup) plain flour
½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
100g salted roasted peanuts
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Line a large oven tray with non-stick baking paper.
- To make the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, use an electric mixer to beat the butter, sugar and vanilla until pale and creamy. Add the egg and beat well. Sift together the flour and baking powder, add to the butter mixture with the chopped chocolate and mix on the lowest possible speed until just evenly combined. Cover and place in the fridge while making the salted peanut brownie dough.
- To make the Salted Peanut Brownie Dough, put the dark chocolate and butter in a medium heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (make sure the base of the bowl doesn’t touch the water). Use a metal spoon to stir occasionally over low heat until just melted and smooth. Transfer to a large bowl and cool slightly. Use a balloon whisk to stir the sugar, egg and vanilla into the chocolate mixture until well combined. Sift together the flour and bicarbonate of soda, add to the chocolate mixture with the peanuts and use a wooden spoon to stir until evenly combined. Cover and place in the fridge to chill for 10 minutes or until the same consistency as the chocolate chip cookie dough.
- Take half a tablespoonful of both doughs and roll them together into a ball, keeping the different colours separate. Place on the lined tray, with the join between the two doughs running down the centre. Flatten to about 4cm in diameter and 1cm thick. Repeat to fill the tray, leaving about 5cm between the cookies.
- Bake in for 12 minutes or until the chocolate chip half is golden and cooked through and the brownie halves are still slightly soft to touch. Cool on the tray. Repeat with the remaining cookie doughs in two more batches.
Baker's Tips
- These cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days – the longer they are kept the softer they will become.
Photography by Alan Benson.
This recipe is from Anneka's SBS Food online column, Bakeproof: Brownies.
CLICK HERE for more Bakeproof columns and recipes.
