The brownie (that is my favourite)
Brownies are like socks. Stay with me here …They are mostly
functional, but when you get a really, really good one, you really,
really know it and you become deeply loyal to those socks/that
brownie. Brownies are also a deeply personal bake – no nuts,
fudgy, cakey, edge piece or centre piece? I mean, who am I to
tell you what brownie is best, you unique and beautiful unicorn!
I can only offer you my favourite.

What makes a brownie really, really good for me are a few
things: the long egg and granulated sugar creaming to make
a finely flaky top crust, more cocoa than melted chocolate so
the brownie stays soft longer (melted chocolate hardens when it
cools, making a brownie too firm at room temperature) and the
cream cheese addition. I eschew vanilla (no point really) but love
salt flakes for a subtle saline crunch. Folks get really obsessive

about texture: I define fudgy as the texture a brownie becomes

when chilled, gauged by the mouth workout required to chew.

Changing the sugar to all brown or dark brown makes the

If this recipe does it for you like it does it for me, I am thrilled.
If you are looking for something else, I wish you much success
on your quest!
Heat the oven to 150°C (300°F). Lightly spray a 23 cm (9 in) square,
5 cm (2 in) deep cake tin with cooking oil and line the base and
sides with baking paper. Ensure any flappy paper edges are trimmed
flush with the tin.

Combine the egg and sugar in the bowl of an electric stand mixer.

Using the paddle attachment, beat on speed 4 (below medium) for
8 minutes until you have a thick and pale foam.

While the mix beats, weigh the bittersweet chocolate into a small
heatproof bowl. Heat the butter to bubbly hot (stovetop or microwave)
and pour it over. Stir until the chocolate has melted and is smooth.

continued …

Keeps Chill the baked brownie up

to 2 weeks and allow to soften to
room temperature or zap to re-soften
before eating.

Makes 10 brownie bars or

9 large squares.

Takes 30 minutes to mix, 30–35 to

bake from fresh, 10+ more minutes
to bake from chilled. Cool down is
personal. Very personal.

cooking oil spray
200 g (7 oz) egg (approx.

4 eggs)
300 g (10½ oz) raw caster
(superfine) sugar
110 g (4 oz) good bittersweet
chocolate (around 50–60%
cocoa)
240 g (8½ oz) unsalted butter
90 g (3 oz) plain (all-purpose)
flour
60 g (2 oz) Dutch
(unsweetened) cocoa powder
5 g (⅛ oz/heaped ½ teaspoon)
sea salt flakes
180 g (6½ oz) good extra- dark
chocolate (around
70% cocoa)
110 g (4 oz) full-fat cream
cheese, softened to room
temperature