For Richer or Poorer Double Choc Brownies
I always say yes to a brownie.
The brownie at the school fete stall that came from the Aldi packet mix, yes please it’s for a good cause. The sad brownie that’s been sitting in a cafe display cabinet for weeks, yep I’ll take it. I even once ate a “brownie” offered to me by a crunchy former neighbour who never stopped talking about her Thermomix. It had beetroot and what looked like birdseed in it and tasted like wet cement. Yes I still ate it.
Point is, I’m no snob when it comes to brownies but I am an expert! So I can categorically say my husband Dan’s brownies are the absolute best, richest and fudgiest brownies you will ever ever taste.
He first started making these beauties at a posh restaurant in Devon. The recipe lives in a tattered and splattered moleskin I gifted him decades ago. It’s travelled with us to kitchens and restaurants across the UK, France, Switzerland, Monaco, to Miami and finally rests atop of the pile at home in Copacabana.
Once upon a time the book sat in a very luxe kitchen in London where Dan was private chef to a billionaire family. The family had three young sons (each with their own nanny wtf). The boys had play dates with other fancy children and their nannies. At the risk of violating an NDA, kids with the surname Beckham and McCartney may have eaten these exact same brownies made by Dan.
And these choccy delights aren’t just a rich and famous treat, they have featured in some of our most significant life moments. At our wedding instead of party favours we gifted all our guests recipe cards with our favorite bakes, lovingly illustrated by my sister. Thirteen years later we still get the occasional text from a mate who’s baked our wedding brownies.
When we launched our cafe in 2019 Dan made a big tray and gave bits away to every customer who came on opening day. “Congratulations!” and “you must be exhausted” and “this is the best brownie I’ve ever eaten” are the things I remember most being said to us that day.
Last winter things were very quiet for us on the gelato work front. With cost of living biting our bookings were down and it was the same for many wedding and events businesses. So what did we do? We baked brownies and sent them to over 30 of our friends and colleagues in the industry.
These brownies are also the key ingredient in our Double Chocolate Brownie Gelato.
Anyway, enough background onto the bake.
Dan’s Best Brownies
120g 70% dark chocolate
200g butter
3 eggs
210g sugar
60g SF Flour
2tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp salt
Pre-heat oven to 170 degs
Melt butter and chocolate together in a microwave using short bursts of heat. Stop when nearly melted and let residual heat do the rest.
Grease medium size baking tray and line with paper.In a mixer beat the eggs and sugar until light and creamy
Sift cocoa powder, flour and salt into the cooled chocolate
Now add egg and suger, mixing gently but thorouhly (“fold” as they say)
Pour mix into tray and bake for 20 minutes.
After 20 mins shake the tin and if brownie wobbles it’s not quite done, give it another 5 mins.
If you are happy and in love, bake these brownies. If you’re bored and sad, bake these brownies. If you’re trying to impress someone or build relationships, bake these brownies.
BAKE THESE BROWNIES ** Then please invite me over, I’ll bring a tub of vanilla gelato to go with. JH
Dan’s Best Double Chocolate Brownies