Curly Wurly Brownies

Hi everyone (and welcome, new subscribers). Now that pantomime is over, I’m going to have much more time to be present and active here. That is, of course, after our trip to New York which starts on Monday. It’s mostly a research trip for the next stage of our business idea (more details to come in the next months), but we are definitely going to take some much needed downtime.

When I posted about these brownies a few weeks ago, the requests for the recipe were many. And seeing as I haven’t given a free recipe away in quite some time, I thought it only right to give something to my free subscribers here (exclusive content for paid subscribers will resume - don’t worry!).

The key thing with these brownies - well ALL brownies for that matter - is that they must be chilled in the fridge overnight before cutting them. If you don’t, and you cut into them while they’re still warm, you’ll be fooled into thinking they are raw. Follow my advice demand, and you will be rewarded.

Curly Wurly Brownies - makes 16

For the batter

• 200g 70% chocolate (chips or chopped)

• 200g unsalted butter

• 200g caster sugar

• 100g light brown muscovado sugar

• 3 large eggs (XL in North America)

• 1 tsp sea salt flakes (or 1/2 tsp fine salt)

• 1 tsp vanilla bean paste (optional)

• 90g plain flour

• 10g cocoa powder

Inclusions

• 5 Curly Wurly bars, chopped into 2cm(ish) lengths

• 60g dark chocolate chips, to scatter on top

Method

1. Grease and line with baking paper a 20cm/8-inch square cake tin. Preheat the oven to 160C fan.

2. Put the chocolate and butter into a heatproof bowl and set over a pan of barely simmering water. Allow to melt together until smooth, then remove from the heat to cool slightly.

3. Put the sugars, eggs, salt and vanilla into a KitchenAid with whisk attachment (or use an electric hand whisk) and whisk until tripled in volume - it should be pale and mousse-like. Add the cooled chocolate-butter mixture and beat in, then fold in the flour and cocoa powder just until you have a smooth batter. Add the Curly Wurly pieces and mix in.

4. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 30-35 minutes until risen with a shiny cracked top, and a gentle wobble in the centre. Cool at room temperature then refrigerate overnight (or for at least 5 hours). Don’t argue. Don’t bargain with god. Don’t kid yourself into thinking an hour will do it. Just put them in the damn fridge and leave them.

5. Cut them cold and devour.