Tasty Treats

With Christmas around the corner I have been trying to find a foolproof recipe to take to my Mother-in-law’s for Christmas. I am no cook and although I try, my attempts usually end in bowl of lumpy flour. However if you need the perfect, easiest, chocolate brownie recipe then here it is. A friend of mind made it and swears by it, so this is what I will be making.

Easy Brownies made with cocoa

Makes: 12-15 servings

Ingredients
¾ cup butter (170 g)
1+½ cup sugar (330 g)
2 teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs
¾ cup all-purpose flour (85 g)
½ cup cocoa powder (50 g)
1 teaspoon baking powder
a pinch of salt (optional)
3 oz (100 g) chopped pecans or walnuts (or through in some chocolate insteadl)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350 deg F (Gas mark 4 or 180 deg C).
2. Line a 13 x 9 in (33 x 23 cm) cake tin with grease proof or other non-stick paper and grease the tin. Melt the butter.
3. Beat eggs with sugar, and add vanilla, flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt (optional) and melted butter.
4. Add chopped nuts.
5. Bake at 350 degrees until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, approximately 20-30 minutes.
6. Cool the cake. Dust with powdered sugar or glace with your favorite chocolate frosting.

Put the kettle on, invite some friends over and enjoy!

Variations:
1. Instead of all-purpose flour + baking powder you may use self-raising flour.
2. Instead of eggs you may use 3/4 cup med firm drained tofu (suggested by Jennifer, March 2008)
3. Instead of using nuts use a mars bar. Freeze the bar, smash it and the sprinkle it on top before baking (suggested by Thea, August 2008)
4. To make a more cake-like brownie, bake in a square approx. 9×9 in metal pan. Cooks about 5 to 10 minutes longer, but turns out more fluffy, soft, and cake-like (Suggested by Lucy Sinogeikina, September 2008)