OK, if you are of a sensitive nature, look away now. You have been warned.
This brownie is our absolute go to recipe for this teatime classic. Rich and gooey with that oh-so-good brownie crust on the top, I promise you will be using this recipe for a long time to come!
The key to success with this recipe is in the eggs and sugar at the start; you must keep whisking until they have doubled in volume and are pale and fluffy – if you don’t get enough volume in at this stage, you will end up with a flat, gooey mess… I’m sure it would still taste delicious but not quite look the part!
This recipe is perfect for entertaining at Easter, why not add a few Mini Eggs or Creme Eggs to the top to make is even more seasonal (and rich!)
Ok, let’s get cracking…. (we couldn’t let Easter go by without a few puns)
Be careful when making the salted caramel and honeycomb – the sugar will be very, very hot and sticky, DO NOT get it anywhere near you!
Allergy info: this recipe contains gluten, wheat, soya and eggs.
Method:
HEAT OVEN TO FAN 160C/CONVENTIONAL 180C/GAS 4 AND GREASE A SMALL TRAYBAKE TIN (APPROX. 15CM SQ)
- CUT THE BUTTER INTO CUBES AND TIP INTO A MEDIUM BOWL AND ADD THE PLAIN CHOCOLATE. HALF FILL A SMALL SAUCEPAN WITH WATER AND PLACE THE BOWL ONTOP, BEING SURE TO NOT LET THE WATER TOUCH THE BOWL. PUT OVER A LOW HEAT UNTIL THE BUTTER AND CHOCOLATE HAVE MELTED, STIRRING OCCASIONALLY TO MIX THEM. NOW REMOVE THE BOWL FROM THE PAN.
- BREAK 2 MEDIUM EGGS INTO A LARGE BOWL AND TIP IN YOUR CASTER SUGAR. WITH AN ELECTRIC MIXER ON MAXIMUM SPEED, WHISK THE EGGS AND SUGAR UNTIL THEY LOOK THICK AND CREAMY AND PALE IN COLOUR. THIS CAN TAKE 4 – 5 MINUTES AND YOU SHOULD END UP WITH APPROXIMATELY DOUBLE THE VOLUME.
- POUR THE COOLED CHOCOLATE MIXTURE INTO THE SUGAR AND EGG MIX AND FOLD IN CAREFULLY WITH A SPATULA USING A FIGURE OF EIGHT MOTION – BE VERY CAREFUL NOT TO KNOCK OUT ALL THE AIR YOU HAVE WORKED INTO THE MIX!
- HOLD THE SIEVE OVER YOUR BOWL AND SIFT IN THE COCOA AND FLOUR, SHAKING THE SIEVE FROM SIDE TO SIDE, TO COVER THE TOP EVENLY. GENTLY FOLD IN THIS POWDER USING THE SAME FIGURE OF EIGHT ACTION AS BEFORE. MIX UNTIL THE FLOUR AND COCOA IS FULLY INCORPORATED, AGAIN BEING CAREFUL NOT TO KNOCK OUT TOO MUCH AIR.
- POUR THE MIXTURE INTO THE PREPARED TIN, SCRAPING EVERY BIT OUT OF THE BOWL WITH THE SPATULA. GENTLY SPREAD THE MIXTURE INTO THE CORNERS USING THE BACK OF A SPOON.
- PLACE YOUR BROWNIE ON THE MIDDLE SHELF OF THE OVEN AND LEAVE FOR 15 MINUTES. IT IS COOKED WHEN THE TOP HAS FORMED A CRUST AND IT DOESN’T WOBBLE. (I LIKE MY BROWNIE REALLY GOOEY SO TEND TO TAKE IT OUT A LITTLE BEFORE!). LEAVE THE WHOLE THING IN THE TIN UNTIL COMPLETELY COLD
Honeycomb
- GREASE A DEEP TIN WITH SOME BUTTER. MIX THE CASTER SUGAR AND 3 LEVEL TABLESPOONS OF GOLDEN SYRUP IN A DEEP SAUCEPAN AND STIR OVER A GENTLE HEAT UNTIL THE SUGAR HAS MELTED. TRY NOT TO LET THE MIXTURE BOIL UNTIL THE SUGAR GRAINS HAVE DISAPPEARED. ONCE COMPLETELY MELTED, TURN UP THE HEAT A LITTLE AND SIMMER UNTIL YOU HAVE AN AMBER COLOURED CARAMEL (THIS WON’T TAKE LONG), THEN AS QUICKLY AS YOU CAN TURN OFF THE HEAT, TIP IN THE BICARBONATE AND BEAT IN WITH A WOODEN SPOON UNTIL IT HAS ALL DISAPPEARED AND THE MIXTURE IS FOAMING.
- SCRAPE INTO THE TIN IMMEDIATELY BUT BE CAREFUL AS THE MIXTURE WILL BE VERY HOT. THE MIXTURE WILL CONTINUE BUBBLING IN THE TIN, SIMPLY LEAVE IT AND IN ABOUT 1 HR- 1 HR 30MINS THE HONEYCOMB WILL BE HARD AND READY TO CRUMBLE OR SNAP INTO CHUNKS.
Salted Caramel
- TO MAKE THE CARAMEL MELT THE SUGAR IN AN OLD, HEAVY BOTTOMED PAN OVER A MEDIUM HEAT, CONSTANTLY STIRRING WITH A WOODEN SPOON. THE SUGAR WILL FORM CLUMPS THEN EVENTUALLY MELT INTO A THICK AMBER COLOURED LIQUID AS YOU CONTINUE TO STIR.
- ONCE SUGAR IS COMPLETELY MELTED, IMMEDIATELY ADD THE BUTTER. BE CAREFUL IN THIS STEP BECAUSE THE CARAMEL WILL BUBBLE RAPIDLY WHEN THE BUTTER IS ADDED. STIR THE BUTTER INTO THE CARAMEL UNTIL IT IS COMPLETELY MELTED, ABOUT 2-3 MINUTES.
- VERY SLOWLY, DRIZZLE IN 50ML OF DOUBLE CREAM WHILE STIRRING. SINCE THE HEAVY CREAM IS COLDER THAN THE CARAMEL, THE MIXTURE WILL RAPIDLY BUBBLE AND/OR SPLATTER WHEN ADDED – BE VERY CAREFUL.
- ALLOW THE MIXTURE TO BOIL FOR 1 MINUTE. IT WILL RISE IN THE PAN AS IT BOILS. REMOVE FROM HEAT AND STIR IN DESIRED AMOUNT OF SALT. ALLOW TO COOL DOWN BEFORE USING.
- FINALLY, REMOVE YOUR BROWNIE FROM THE TIN, PILE HIGH WITH HONEYCOMB, DRIZZLE WITH SALTED CARAMEL SAUCE AND MELTED WHITE CHOCOLATE.
- CUT INTO SMALL SQUARES – YOU WON’T NEED MUCH OF THIS! MAKE A CUP OF TEA, FIND A QUIET CORNER AND ENJOY!
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