Basic Brownie

Quest for the Perfect Brownie

I am now on the quest the perfect brownie recipe.  I've always wanted to learn how to make them, I was told they were easy and apparently my neighbour did a pretty awsome job so I thought I should give it a go. Whilst learning how to make brownies I was overwhelmed by the variety of ways in which you could make the popular treat.  My first attempt did not go too well, and though Sam Stern has some great recipes in his student cookbook this one failed to deliver.  As I am on quiet a strict diet I decided I wanted to use gluten free flour, it was the first time I used it and it felt better to know the brownies were a little healthier.  To up the chocolate taste I also made my own chocolate fudge icing.



This recipe was adapted from 'Sam Stern's Student Cookbook' (Walker Books, 2009)

Brownie Basics Ingredients:

75g soft butter, 75g castor sugar, 1 large egg (beaten), 100g gluten free flour, 1/4 baking powder, 75g plain chocolate ,2 tbsps milk (usually 1 tbsp but used 2 because more liquid is needed when using gluten free flour), 5 drops vanilla extract

Icing Ingredients:

As I used leftover icing the measurements are very varied.  Make to taste, but use only a small bit of cocoa powder and use 3x as much butter and 10x as much icing as the cocoa and as much water until it is the right consistency.

Icing sugar, cocoa powder, butter, water

Basic Brownie Method:

1. Grease or line base of 20.5cm/ 8in square tin or similar.
2. Beat the butter and sugar together with a wooden spoon until it is very light and creamy.
3. Beat in the egg
4. Sift flour in and mix.
5. Add baking powder and beat the whole mix well.
6. Let the chocolate melt in a heat proof bowl over a pan of simmering water.
7. Stir chocolate into the mix with milk and vanilla extract.
8. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C/ 350 degrees F/ Gas Mark 4.
9.  Pour the mix into the tin and when the oven is hot bake for 25 minutes.
10. The brownie is done when the skwer comes out clean.
11. Make sure you cool before adding icing or cool for 5 - 8 mins before eating.

Icing Method:

1. Sift sugar and cocoa together.
2. Gently heat butter and water without boiling and gradually beat into the sugar.
3. Mix until mixture is smooth and not too runny.
4. You can leave it for a few minutes to thicken.

Saffy's Top Tips

1. Make sure milk is not heating with chocolate otherwise skin will form at the top of the chocolate milk and will ruin the texture of the cake.
2. Keep cooking brownie until it has that fudgy brownie texture.