Fri, 16 June 2017
Chocolate Brownie with Frosting
Ingredients
For the brownies
225g good-quality dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids)
50g of chopped peeled pistachios (optional)
225g butter
300g caster sugar
3 large eggs, beaten
seeds of 1 vanilla pod or 1tsp of vanilla extract
100g plain flour
1tsp baking powder
For the frosting
100g butter, softened
450g cream cheese
320g icing sugar, sieved
50g cocoa, sieved
To decorate (Optional)
Chocolate curls made by running your knife along a bar of good quality chocolate
Method
Preheat the oven to 180oC and line a 24cm square tin with grease proof or parchment paper.
In a large bowl over some simmering water, melt the butter and the chocolate and mix until smooth. Add the nuts, if you’re using them, and stir together.
With an electric mixer, cream the sugar and eggs until pale and fluffy. Slowly add the melted chocolate, butter and nuts then add the vanilla and continue to whisk for another minute.
Sieve in the flour and baking powder and fold in gently with a spatula. Scrape the mixture into the prepared tin and bake in theoven for 25 minutes until the top is firm.
Allow the brownie to cool.
You can prepare the frosting while the brownie is chilling out by beating the butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer until pale and creamy. Fold in the icing sugar and cocoa until nicely combined and spreadable. Spread on the frosting over the brownie. Cut into squares and serve. You can also decorate with a nice topping (I like chocolate curls) and serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
