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!