Everyone loves a brownie! I like to make them and eat them either alone with a cuppa or with ice cream. They are a great dessert for a dinner party. I’ve yet to meet anyone who says no to a gooey chocolate treat!

Anyway I’ve had a little play this week with flavours. I know salted chocolate has been ‘trendy’ for awhile now but I hadn’t made anything myself using sea salt until now. They work a treat! Obviously if salt in your chocolate isn’t your thing then you can just leave it out, put less or just use nuts.

This is the basic brownie recipe I use, it’s always worked for me so it’s great to have a play with flavours! If you have a brownie recipe you use then just add the salt as I did along with nuts of your choice ~ mixed nuts would work well. I hand chopped my pecans because I like them left quite large but again it’s a personal choice.

My other reason for loving this recipe is because you don’t have to remember to get your butter out of the fridge to soften!! – just get baking!!! – have fun!!!!!

you will need:

• 165g  butter, plus extra for greasing
• 200g dark chocolate – 70% – chopped
• 3 eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 165g soft light brown sugar
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 100g pecans ( adjust to you liking )

20cm square baking tray (8in)  preheat oven to 180 ( fan 160 )

Method:

Grease and Line the baking tray leaving an over lap of baking paper.

Melt the butter in a small pan over a low heat on the stove, when it has melted remove from the heat and add the chopped chocolate, leave it for a few minutes then when the chocolate has softened stir to combine.

Whisk the eggs, egg yolks and the vanilla together in a large mixing bowl until they are light and fluffy. Add the sugar in batches whisking in between each addition. Pour it around the edges so as not to knock out the air, continue to mix until the mixture becomes stiffer. When ready pour the chocolate into it, again around the edges.

Add the flour, cocoa powder, 1 tsp of the sea salt and the pecans, stir until fully combined. Pour into the prepared tin, then sprinkle on the remaining salt.

Bake for approx 30mins. The middle should be slightly gooey. Leave to cool in the tin. They will sink a little and the top will crack. Remove and cut into squares.

Delicious served with a good quality vanilla ice cream and decorated with fresh fruit.

enjoy x