Triple Chocolate Brownies

'Nine out of Ten people like chocolate. The Tenth person always lies.'

Have you ever heard anything truer?

Even as someone who would rather have some crisps over chocolate, I still have my cravings for a packet of Malteasers every now and then, or to eat Nutella straight from the jar.. 

After living with a self confessed chocoholic for nearly 6 years I have to say I now use it in most of my baking. Mr W is the biggest kid when it comes to anything sweet, but one thing that he could sit and an entire batch of in one sitting has to be Brownies. Its always one of his first requests when I ask what he would like me to bake on a Sunday.

I've adapted this recipe over time from a basic one I found in an old recipe book when I first met Chris in 2011. It's pretty versatile in that you can add basically anything into the mix and it works. We've had creme eggs, caramel, Reeces pieces, nuts, oreo's (you get my jist). They make a wonderfully gooey, fudgey brownie - i've never had any complaints yet. Although to be honest, anyone who complains whilst eating a chocolate brownie clearly is beyond help.

I decided to keep these basic, and just drizzle them with white chocolate and a sprinkle of hazelnuts but leave these out if you're not too keen. The Nutella in this recipe isn't actually for a 'Nutella Brownie' flavour, I just find it adds a little summin' summin' to the chocolatey flavour.. I plan on doing a post for a real Nutella brownie very soon so keep a look out!

Oh and heat them up in the microwave and eat them with ice cream - seriously, it is the only way they should be eaten in my opinion.

Thank me later.

Ells 

x

  

- 100g Butter, chopped

- 100g Good Quality Milk Chocolate, chopped

- 100g Good Quality 70% minimum Dark Chocolate, chopped

- 4 Eggs, beaten

- 250g Light Brown Sugar

- 100g Plain Flour

- 30g Cocoa Powder

- 1 tsp Baking Powder

- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract

- 200g Nutella

- 100g Milk Chocolate chunks

- 50g Chopped Hazelnuts

- 100g White Chocolate

Line a 23x33cm tin with baking parchment and preheat your oven to Gas 4/180c.

Together, melt the butter and chocolate in a bain marie and stir continuously to prevent the chocolate from burning. Once its nice and smooth and glossy set it to one side to cool. 

Whisk the eggs and sugar together until the mixture is really light and fluffy, it should have almost doubled in size and have lots of bubbles.

Fold the cooled chocolate mixture into the eggs, once its all thoroughly combined add the vanilla, flour, cocoa powder and baking powder. Fold it all in until you have a thick fudgey batter and then add the chocolate chunks.

Pour half of the mixture into the prepared tin, then add the nutella and swirl it through. Add the second half of the mixture and level with a spatula. 

Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 25-30 minutes. The top should be shiny and cracked and the middle just set. 

Allow the Brownies to cool in the tin and melt the white chocolate.

Once cooled, remove from the tin with the baking parchment and cut the brownie into the desired amount of squares (I usually cut about 15 out of mine). 

Using either a piping bag or a teaspoon, drizzle the white chocolate over the brownies and sprinkle with the hazelnuts.