Cook Well for Less

Chocolate Brownies

Rich small-batch brownies with dark chocolate and cocoa, baked until fudgy in the middle.

Prep
20 mins
Cook
25 mins
Total
45 mins
Difficulty
easy
Makes
9 brownies
Illustration: Plain dark-chocolate brownies with crackled tops and fudgy centres
Cook Well for Less · AI-generated pencil and watercolour illustration

Get ready

Ingredients

  • 100 g butter, plus a little from this amount for greasing
  • 100g dark chocolatebroken into small pieces
  • 2 large eggs
Equipment
  • 20 cm square baking tin
  • baking parchment
  • small saucepan
  • heatproof bowl
  • mixing bowl
  • whisk or fork
  • sieve
  • spatula

Cook

Method

  1. Prepare the tin

    Heat the oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / Gas 4. Use a little of the measured butter to grease a 20 cm square tin, then line the base and sides with baking parchment.

    New to this?How to line a baking tin

  2. Melt the chocolate

    Put the remaining butter and dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water, making sure the bowl does not touch the water. Stir until smooth, then take the bowl off the pan and leave it to cool for 5 minutes.

  3. Mix the batter

    Beat the eggs and sugar in a mixing bowl for 1–2 minutes until evenly combined and slightly thickened. Pour in the warm chocolate mixture and stir until smooth.

  4. Fold in the dry ingredients

    Sift in the flour and cocoa powder. Fold gently just until no dry streaks remain, then scrape the batter into the tin and spread it level.

  5. Bake for a fudgy centre

    Bake for 20–25 minutes. The top should look set and slightly papery, the edges should be firm and the centre should still have a slight wobble. A skewer inserted near the centre should have moist sticky crumbs, not liquid batter and not come out completely clean. Overbaking will turn the brownies cakey.

  6. Cool before cutting

    Leave the brownies to cool completely in the tin; the centre continues to set as it cools. Lift out using the parchment and cut into nine squares with a sharp knife.

For later

Storing and using leftovers

Storage

Cool completely and keep in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 4 days.

Freezing

Freeze individual brownies in an airtight container for up to 3 months, with parchment between layers. Thaw at room temperature while covered.

Practical guide:How to freeze cakes and home baking

Community

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