We are off to a friend’s straight after school tonight so I have made these brownies to take with us for a treat. I have also asked one of the students attending Sunday’s bread making course for cake requests and brownies are at the top of her cake list. It made sense then, to trial these and cook again on Saturday, ready for Sunday.
They are an adaptation of Ruby Tandoh’s excellent Salted Milk Chocolate Brownies from The Guardian Cook section published on 7 February this year. I can’t resist fiddling with recipes so I have added peanut butter, used dark chocolate instead of milk and used half and half of caster sugar and soft dark brown sugar. I have also swapped the plain flour with wholemeal spelt.
When I made Ruby’s brownies the first time, (with just a few changes), it became quite clear that by sprinkling sea salt on the top of these beauties just makes them even more tempting and addictive.
If you have a fancy for a gooey, deeply chocolatey, salty and nutty cake (and who wouldn’t?) get your teeth wrapped around one (or two, or three) of these.
Makes 9 brownies
175g unsalted butter
150g dark chocolate
50g cocoa powder
100g caster sugar
100g soft dark brown sugar
3 eggs
50g wholemeal spelt flour
¼ tsp fine salt
About 100g crunchy peanut butter
Sea salt flakes
Method
Melt the chocolate and the butter together in a bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Stir in the cocoa powder. Leave to cool slightly.
Whisk the sugars with the eggs in a large bowl until the mixture is thick and doubled in volume.
Pour the chocolate mixture onto the egg mixture and fold carefully together until well mixed. Add the flour and the salt and fold in. Pour the batter into a foil lined 20cm square cake tin. Drop blobs of peanut butter into the batter and swirl with a skewer. Sprinkle the sea salt flakes over the top.
Bake in a preheated oven at 180°c, gas mark 4 for 25-30 minutes or in the Aga’s baking oven with the rack set on the bottom rung for 20 minutes until the brownie is crusted on top but still has a bit of a wobble. It should be undercooked so that when it cools it is fudge and dense in texture with a crust.
They look scrumptious Kath – and there was I trying to be so well behaved about eating cake ! The folks joining you on Sunday for the course are going to be in for a real treat in so many ways and I hope they get as much out of the course as I did.
Enjoy !
Tony
Thank you for your lovely words Tony. It is a real pleasure to know that the course has made a difference to your bread making and eating. It is why I love to teach. The brownies are delicious, I let the kids eat the majority of them though.
Notifications working. I’m afraid I’m a purist when it comes to brownies – only chocolate – but I’m sure they’re delicious. Cx
You could leave the peanut butter out quite easily. Glad the notifications are working again. x
Like you, I tend to fiddle with recipes too. I made some vegan Brownies recently with peanut butter, but i have to say your salted version really appeals. So I will have to try and keep in mind for the next time I wish to make brownies at home. Hope your well. And hope the brownies are appreciated.
They were appreciated and gobbled up. I will come over and check your vegan version out. x
Pingback: Bread making on 14 June 2015 | Veg Patch Kitchen
Oh, you get to choose cake on your courses – how very wonderful! Can’t think of many things more delicious than peanut butter brownies. I always use wholemeal flour, spelt or otherwise, in brownies – something to offset all that sugar!
You have been my flour inspiration over the years Choc. And yes, I do sometimes ask people what cake is their favourite. x
Oh my goodness! I must make these. They look wonderful.
Thank you, I hope you do. Lovely to hear from you. Hope you are well.