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Claire Burnet, author and co-founder of Chococo, claims brownies are ridiculously easy to make, and shares her tips.

Chocolate Brownies

Brownies are perfect as a tea time treat or as a dessert served with ice cream and fruit. The texture is the important thing, they should be slightly crispy on the outside but still soft and slightly moist inside.

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Tips and techniques

1. Melt the chocolate slowly. Don't rush it otherwise it will separate.
2. Use an electric hand whisk to mix. It does a better job than mixing by hand.
3. Use light muscavado sugar to add depth and a rich fudge flavour.
4. Use 70% dark chocolate made from pure cocoa butter.
5. If you don't like nuts try adding chopped stem ginger.
6. Add 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt to bring out all the flavours.

Ingredients

• 150 g (5 oz) unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
• 225 g (8 oz) dark chocolate chopped
• 3 eggs
• 125 g (4 oz) light muscovado sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 50 g (2 oz) 50 g fine rice flour
• 1/4 tsp crushed sea salt
• 100 g (4 oz) pecans, roughly chopped

Makes 12-16 brownies

Preparation method

Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F) Gas 4.

Line the base and sides of a 22cm square brownie tin with a single piece of foil or baking parchment.

Melt the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Once melted take the bowl off the heat and leave to cool for a few minutes.

Beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla extract together in a separate bowl with a handheld electric mixer, until increased in volume, pale and fluffy.

Fold the rice flour and salt into the egg and sugar mixture and then stir in the pecans, reserving a handful to scatter over the top. Add the melted chocolate and butter mixture and gently fold it all together.

Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and tap it on the work surface to ensure it is level. Scatter the reserved pecans over the top.

Bake in the preheated oven for about 15-17 minutes, until risen at the edges but still squidgy in the middle. Don't worry if it seems undercooked, as it will continue cooking after being taken out of the oven. Don't be tempted to overcook it or the brownies will be dry.

Leave to cool in the tin and then cut into squares of a size to suit you!

The brownies will keep stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.