Like chocolate cake, only better.

I have stopped ordering chocolate cake for dessert when we go out. It is the utter disappointment of having this delectable slice arrive at your table and your first bite is dry. Brownies however, usually you can be sure you will be happy with it. Even if it doesn’t have the dollop of vanilla ice cream and warm chocolate fudge sauce poured over top! But I see them in two camps, the first is the cake-like brownie. Not dissimilar to a piece of ‘sheet’ cake but a bit more dense. Then there is the brownie I love. The only style I believe to be a true brownie. This is the denser, thinner and much more moist version. A true fudge brownie.

I have tried many recipes for brownies but this is my favourite and one of my no-fail recipes. It can be whipped up quickly which is great if you need a recipe in a hurry for a forgotten guest or to replace a recipe gone bad. Best of all it is made in a saucepan and then poured into a baking tray, making for very easy clean up. It is also quite likely you will already have most of the ingredients in your cupboard already!

• 150g (1/2 cup) Butter or Non-Dairy Spread
• 50g (1/3 cup) Cocoa Powder
• 200g (1 cup) Sugar
• 1 tsp (5 ml) Vanilla
• 2 Eggs
• 130g (3/4 cup) Plain Flour
• 2 tsp Baking Powder
• 1 handful of Chocolate Chips

Oven 350F/180C

Grease or line an 8×8 baking pan.

Place the butter and the cocoa powder in a heavy-based saucepan and melt over low heat. Keep stirring until all the butter has melted and the cocoa has been mixed in, then remove saucepan from the heat. Add in the sugar and vanilla to the saucepan and stir to combine.  Beat in one egg at a time. Add the flour and baking powder, mix until well blended. Pour half to 2/3 of the mixture into the prepared tin then sprinkle the chocolate chips across the surface. Top with the remaining batter and add a few more chocolate chips on the top surface.

Bake for 25 minutes. A cake skewer should come out a little moist (but not too wet!) to get the best consistency once it has cooled.

Can be served warm or cool.