Ingredients Print

Check off ingredients as you go

Serves 6-8 (one 20x20 cm / 8x8-inch pan), 12 to 16 squares

For the brownies

• 200 g (7 oz) dark chocolate (Nestlé-style baking chocolate or 60% cacao)
• 120 g (½ cup) butter or neutral oil (sunflower or grapeseed)
• 3 large eggs (or 2 eggs + 1 yolk)
• 160 g (¾ cup + 1 Tbsp) light brown sugar (or cane sugar or dark brown sugar)
• 90 g (¾ cup) all-purpose flour (plain flour), sifted
• 25 g (¼ cup) unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp baking powder (optional)
• a pinch of flaky sea salt
• 100 g (1 cup) toasted pecans or chocolate chips (optional)

If you change the number of serving, consider adjusting cooking times!

Making the brownies

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F), conventional (not fan) setting. Line a 20x20 cm (8x8-inch) square pan with parchment paper.
2. In a saucepan, melt the chocolate and butter over low heat, stir until smooth and let cool slightly.
3. In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs with the sugar until the mixture turns foamy and paler. Then stir the chocolate into the egg and sugar mixture.
4. In another bowl, combine the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt.

Tip To avoid lumps, set a fine-mesh sieve over the bowl with the egg and chocolate mixture and sift in the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa, baking powder) a little at a time, stirring until you have a smooth batter.

5. If you’re adding pecans or chocolate chips, fold them in last, then pour the batter into the pan. Bake for 22-25 minutes (depending on your oven). The brownies will form a thin crust on top. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick: it should come out with a few slightly moist crumbs. The center will still look just barely set; it will firm up as it cools.

Remove from the oven and let cool completely before cutting into squares.

Store in the fridge and take out 30 minutes before serving.

Variations and freezing

• For an even thicker brownie, use a smaller pan and adjust the baking time.
• To toast the pecans, bake them at 165°C (330°F) for 15 minutes.

And if you’re a brownie fan, you should try my cheesecake brownies, a classic brownie swirled with creamy touches of cheesecake.

• To thaw a frozen brownie, take it out of its airtight wrapping and leave it on a plate or a wire rack for 2 to 4 hours for a whole pan, 30 to 60 minutes for a single square. It will taste as if you’d just baked it. If you’re in a hurry, microwave it for 20-30 seconds at medium power. If you’d rather use the oven, preheat to 150°C (300°F), set the frozen brownie on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 8-12 minutes depending on the size.