Method

Step 1-2-3
Step 1 – Preheat your oven at 180C.
Step 2 – Grease the surface of your baking tray. Then line a sheet of baking paper. Grease the surface of the baking paper.
Pro Tips: Make sure the butter is at room temperature so it becomes easy to grease your baking tray.

Step 3-4-5
Step 3 – In a medium mixing bowl, combine the dark chocolate with 30g dutch cacao powder. Set aside.
Step 4 – In a small sauce pan, melt the butter until it starts to bubble. Pour the melted butter into the mixing bowl with chocolate and cacao powder.
Step 5 – Whisk the mixture until it is melted and smooth. Let’s call this mixing bowl (A). Set aside.

Step 6
In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar, salt, vanilla extract and eggs. With the help of a hand mixer, beat the mixture for 10 minutes. Yes “10” minutes. Let’s call this mixing bowl (B).
Pro Tips: Doing this will incorporate air into the mixture, and will help your brownie raise in the oven for better texture…YUMM!

Step 7
Time to pour mixing bowl (A) into mixing bowl (B). Make sure to continue beating and fully incorporate both mixtures.
Let’s call this new mixing bowl (C).
Pro Tips: Give the mixture a good beat once again, this will help to incorporate more air. If you see bubbles, relax, it’s all good.

Step 8
Sieve the 70g of dutch cacao powder and the flour into mixing bowl (C).
Pro Tips: The process of sieving prevent the formation of lumps in the mixture. Ultimately, your brownies will have a smooth and uniform texture: Just the way we like them!

Step 9
With the help of a rubber spatula, gently fold the dry mix into the wet mix until combined.
Pro Tips: When folding the dry into the wet mixture, the idea is not to deflate your hard work in steps 6 and 7. See the gentle motion.

Step 10
Pour the brownie mix into your baking tray.
With the help of a flat spatula, you can spread and level the chocolate batter.
Time to bake in the oven for 8 minutes.

Optional steps
Optional steps – Have some fun, add some toppings and express your creativity.
We had some mixed nuts at hand and Tasman Sea Salt, which brought our chocolate brownies to another level!
Some idea for toppings: M&Ms, Pretzels, Oreo, freeze dried strawberries…

Step 11
Take your baking tray out of the oven.
Your brownie is ready. We are just joking!
This is the time to flatten your brownie so it cooks evenly.
Drop your baking tray gently on the bench top. See next picture.

Step 12
Return your baking tray to the oven and let it bake for another 10 to 15 minutes.
You don’t want to overcook them, so you don’t want a skewer to come out clean.
Transfer the brownies and place it on a cooling rack. Cut brownies into rectangular pieces and serve with cold milk or ice cream.
Pro Tips: If you leave your brownie in the tray, the residual heat of your tray will continue cooking your brownie.

The final product: Confession time
The cook aka Jean-Luc, was a little distracted watching Netflix show “Money Heist” – of course that is what you do when you are in COVID-19 lockdown – and he may have forgotten about the tray in the oven. Poor brownies cooked a little too long and ended up a little overcooked.
Pro Tips: Don’t watch Netflix when you cook, or set a timer!