We had our beautiful friends over for dinner last night, and I could not think of the perfect dessert to go with the Ragu I was making. Probably because it’s the middle of summer and I was cooking the ultimate winter comfort food!
However, Husby loves a brownie, and when he suggested making a brownie for dessert at first I turned up my nose. Just a brownie when we are entertaining? AND here’s the thing… I’ve never made a brownie that WASN’T from a packet mix. I just thought Brownies were a pain in the ASS to get right. So, a bit of thought and a few idea’s to jazz up the humble brownie, and this is what we come up with. And now, I will never be buying a brownie packet mix again. This one is so so good.
Brownies
– Recipe based from Donna Hay’s ‘Fast Fresh and Simple’ Cookbook
Makes 16
Ingredients
150g butter
1 1/4 cup caster sugar
3/4 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (I use Queens Organic Vanilla Bean Paste which I LOVE – pic below…)
3 eggs
1/2 cup plain flour
Method
– Pre heat oven to 160 degrees celsuis.
– Place the butter, sugar and cocoa into a saucepan over low heat and stir until the butter has melted.
– Transfer the mixture into a new bowl, add three eggs and vanilla bean paste and whisk well.
– Sift the flour over the mixture and whisk to combine.
– Spoon the mixture into a square cake tin lined with non stick baking paper.
– Bake for 30 minutes.
– Allow to cool in tin and cut into squares to serve.
I served this with caramel popcorn, fresh raspberries and a vanilla bean ice-cream. It was delish!