Fudgey, cakey, doughy and chocolatey, it’s no doubt that the brownie is a popular sweet treat and even better with a cup of tea or coffee.

After the success of CS Catering’s Time for a Cuppa event in aid of Dementia UK just a few short weeks ago, this author has decided to share their own recipe, sort of like a little ego-boost after the recipe was met with wave upon wave of compliments…?‍♂️

So because, after all, an ego stroke is always nice; here’s a recipe for chocolate orange brownies so you too can wow at the next charity bake sale.

We’ve got quite a spread on for @DementiaUK‘s Time for a Cuppa week! Not only is our money box filling up nicely, so are we! ????? pic.twitter.com/Jfnx19NWWs

— CS Catering (@Catering_Equip) March 8, 2018

Ingredients

• 185g orange chocolate (approx 1 and a quarter Terry’s Chocolate oranges)
• 185g unsalted butter
• 85g plain flour
• 40g cocoa powder
• 100g white chocolate
• 3 large eggs
• 275g caster sugar

Method

1. Melt the butter and dark chocolate either by placing in a medium bowl in a microwave for 2-3 minutes (remembered to cover lightly with clingfilm) or by placing a heatproof bowl over a water-filled pan at low heat.
2. Now set your oven to pre-heat to 160°C on a fan oven, 180°C on a conventional oven or gas mark 4.
3. Using a baking tin, tray or heatproof dish, grease the inside with butter or alternatively use a sheet of greaseproof baking paper and place a thin strip lengthways (like a pinstripe) before dusting with some flour to prevent any stubborn sticking.
4. Sieve 85g of plain flour and 40g of cocoa powder into a medium bowl to remove any lumps.
5. Break the 100g white chocolate into chunks – smaller chunks means a greater spread within the brownie mixture.
6. Crack the 3 large eggs into a large bowl and add the 275g caster sugar.
7. Mix the sugar and eggs with an electric whisk at maximum speed for around 8 minutes until the resulting mixture begins to resemble a milkshake from the UK’s most popular fast-food chain. You’ll know it’s ready when you lift the beaters and the dripping mix leaves a trail on the surface – I test by doing a figure of 8.
8. The molten chocolate and butter mixture should now have cooled sufficiently to be poured on the sugar-egg mix. Fold these together gently until it now begins to resemble a chocolate milkshake from the same fast-food chain – make sure you go right under to get all the chocolate mixed as this tends to sink to the bottom of the bowl.
9. Now sieve the flour-cocoa mix into this chocolate milkshake resembling mix and slowly fold until any dry flour bits are no longer visible – once you think you’re done – keep folding for an extra 2-3 mins to ensure no clumps.
10. Throw in your white chocolate chunks and stir a few times for even distribution.
11. Now slowly pour this thick brownie mixture into your baking tray or dish and then softly spread using a spatula to ensure a nice, even spread.
12. Place in the oven for 25 mins, once 25 mins are up, take it out and give the tray a wobble if it moves like jelly then give it another 5-10 mins until the top of the brownies have a shiny surface that is cracking like paper – to prevent it from burning you can always cover the top with aluminium foil.
13. Once done, take out of the oven and allow the brownies to cool until they are completely cold, then cut into squares.

Thirteen steps there to what I’d consider the perfect chocolate brownies, yes, I said they are perfect. Get on my level.

The very best thing about this tried, tested and tweaked recipe is that because I’ve played around with it, all you need to do to change-it-up is swap out the orange chocolate for any flavour of chocolate you want.

Not only that but if you can swap the white chocolate for anything from M&Ms to Maltesers for a completely different experience and taste without worrying if it will work or not!

Although personally, I wouldn’t suggest using mint chocolate as the base for brownies, you can really do what you want with it.