Brownies, a chocolate treat.

Brownies, the chocolate treat that is rich and indigent. But to me if you look at the recipe are the sort of things that when you look at them should not work. Or look like they should not work unless you use self raising flour. And you can if you like to get a little extra lift but I do not think that that is what a proper brownie is.

So for this archetypal American cookie you will need.

60g/2oz dark or bitter chocolate
125g/4oz butter
200g/7oz caster sugar
2 large eggs
140g/5oz plain flour
2 tsp vanilla essence
110g/4oz pecan nuts or walnuts

To start with take your flour and sift it in to a big bowl. Make sure that it is free from all lumps. Then take your chocolate butter and sugar and place them in to a heat proof bowl. Best to break the chocolate up as small as possible as it helps with the melting. Place the bowl over a pan of warm but not boiling water and allow the mixture to melt. Stir occasionally to help the process.

Now take your eggs, crack them in to a bowl and whisk them. Now it is here I think where all the work is actually done. Here as you beat the eggs you are getting air into the mix and that will give you a light brownies and not a heavy brownie. So this is the most important part if you ask me.

Once you have your eggs all frothy then start to add some of the melted chocolate mix in to the egg and some of the flour together. You want to fold every thing together carefully but as quickly as you dare. What you are trying to do is get the batter blended together with as much air in the mix before you bake it all in the oven. Once every thing is together add the vanilla essence at the end and them pure the mix in to a square greased and floured shallow tin.

Sprinkle on to the top the chopped nuts. Now for me the only nut to have on them is a pecan nut. But if you do not like them or can not get them you can use walnuts as well.

Place this all in to a preheated oven, about 180°c 350°f or gas mark 4, and bake for 20 to 25 minuets. Once baked take out of the oven and allow to cool in the tin and then cut in to squares.

Then take one or tow and a nice glass of cold milk sit in the garden on a sunny day and remember what it was like when you were a kid.