Malted Chocolate Brownies

Serves: 9-12
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 45-60 minutes

Ingredients

• 200g dark chocolate

• 180g unsalted butter

• 20g neutral oil

• 185g caster sugar

• 115g light brown sugar

• 2 large eggs

• 1 egg yolk

• 95g plain flour

• 22g cocoa powder

• 30g Horlicks

• 1 tsp instant espresso powder

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• ¾ tsp fine salt

• 120g Milk chocolate

• Flaky sea salt, to finish

• 20 x 20cm tin

Method

1. Prepare the tin

Heat the oven to 165°C fan.

Grease and line a 20 x 20cm metal tin with baking paper, leaving enough overhang to lift the brownies out once cooled.

2. Bloom the cocoa

Add the cocoa powder and espresso powder to a small bowl.

Pour over the 25ml boiling water and stir until you have a smooth, thick paste.

Set aside.

3. Melt the chocolate and fats

Add the dark chocolate, butter and neutral oil to a heatproof bowl.

Melt gently over a pan of barely simmering water, or in short bursts in the microwave, stirring regularly until completely smooth.

Stir in the bloomed cocoa and espresso mixture until evenly combined.

Leave to cool for 5–10 minutes.

4. Mix the eggs and sugar

Add the caster sugar, light brown sugar, eggs, egg yolks and vanilla to a large bowl.

Whisk until thoroughly combined, slightly thickened and glossy.

You want the sugars well incorporated, but avoid whipping huge amounts of air into the mixture.

5. Add the chocolate

Slowly pour the warm chocolate mixture into the egg mixture, whisking gently until smooth and evenly combined.

6. Add the dry ingredients

Add in the plain flour, cocoa powder if any remains from sifting, and Horlicks, then add the fine salt.

Fold together gently until no dry streaks remain.

7. Add the chopped chocolate

Chop the milk chocolate into small chunks and fold through until evenly distributed.

Avoid overmixing once the flour has been added.

8. Bake

Pour the batter into the prepared tin and spread evenly into the corners.

Finish with a light sprinkle of flaky sea salt.

Bake for 25-35 minutes.

The edges should be completely set and the centre should jiggle ever so slightly.

A skewer inserted into the middle should come out with moist crumbs and melted chocolate, but no raw batter.

You are not looking to achieve a clean skewer here like you would with baking a cake. That’s an overcooked brownie.

9. Cool

Leave the brownies to cool completely in the tin.

Once cool, lift them out using the baking paper and cut into 9 large or 12 smaller brownies.

For the cleanest slices, use a sharp knife and wipe it between cuts.

Notes

This recipe is designed to be thick, dense, chewy and fudgy without being underbaked, with a crackly top, crisp but not hard edges and soft pockets of chocolate throughout.

The espresso deepens the chocolate, while the Horlicks adds a subtle malted, toasted richness without making the brownie obviously taste of Horlicks.