Chocolate Brownies

Source/Recipe Book: A Second Helping
Page: 32, Chapter Squares and Slices 
Author: Alexa Johnston

Inspired with variations by Amira @ Dolci D'Amira 

Ingredients:

225g dark chocolate, 70% Lindt* dark chocolate
85g unsalted butter
180g sugar
salt, a good pinch
2 eggs
1 teas vanilla essence
55g flour
100g walnuts, coarsely chopped by hand

Method:

Prepare the pan: Grease and line with baking paper a 20cm square baking pan.

Preheat oven: 170oC

1. Put the chocolate and butter in a bowl over simmering water. Stir occasionally with a wooden spoon until mixture is smooth and melted.

2. Remove from the heat and mix in the sugar and salt, beating well with the wooden spoon, then beat in the eggs one at a time.

3. Add the vanilla and flour and keep stirring until the mixture becomes very shiny and leaves the sides of the bowl. This should take only a minute or so. Fold in the walnuts and pour into the prepared pan.

4. Bake at 170oC for 30 mins, a fine skewer comes out moist when poked but clean, with no batter sticking to it. Don't overcook ! Brownies are best when moist and fudgy.

5. Cool in the tin on a rack for about 10 mins, then remove the whole slab and cut into desired sizes (see picture). Store in air tight container.

*Chocolate brand available from supermarkets or speciality grocers.