Donna Hay's melt-and-mix brownies

We enjoy getting our bake on around here. Saturday afternoon's of late have been all about the kitchen, as I catch up on preparing meals and baking and tidying, after two days out of the house at work. It also helps that there have been plenty of reasons to bake recently. I'm always keen to take something home cooked along when we have somewhere to go... and I love doing it even more if it's to feed people visiting us.


My Mama is coming over tomorrow to babysit the boys for us while we're punishing ourselves running in the City to Surf. So it was the perfect excuse to have a special sweet treat for Nana, to give her some much needed energy. I think she might need a few slices of this after a day with my boys. We chose this one especially due to it's dark chocolate content. Mama is quite a fan of the stuff. Angus was a tad disappointed that the recipe doesn't call for the use of "beetles" (re: beaters), but he LOVED scraping the bowl and licking the wooden spoon. This one is a rich, velvety temptress.

Donna Hay's melt-and-mix brownies

200g dark chocolate (I used Cadbury Old Gold Dark Chocolate)

250g unsalted butter, chopped

2 tablespoons cocoa, sifted

2 cups (350g) brown sugar

1 1/3 cups (200g) plain flour, sifted

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

4 eggs

Preheat over to 160 degrees (fan forced)

Place chocolate, butter and cocoa in a saucepan over low heat and stir until melted and smooth

Place sugar, flour and baking powder in a bowl

Make a well in the centre and pour in chocolate mixture

Add the eggs and mix to combine

Pour the mixture into a lightly greased 20cm square cake tin lined with baking paper and bake for 55-60 minutes or until brownie is just set in the centre

Allow to stand in tin for 10 minutes if serving warm, otherwise cool in tin