Ingredients

115g butter

150g granulated sugar

110g brown sugar

200g chocolate, chopped (70% cocoa)

3 eggs

1/2 tbsp (7.5ml) vanilla extract

65g plain flour

Line an 8 inch square brownie pan, you don't need to do all the sides - just one long strip of baking parchment, that overhangs two sides of the pan, you can use these for handles later.

In a saucepan (one that will eventually be big enough for all your ingredients) melt the butter (medium heat) with the sugars (granulated & brown).  The best thing is to use a whisk to mix the sugar and butter together (be careful if you have a non-stick saucepan not to scratch the non-stick), keep stirring until they are completely combined (the sugar will still look a little grainy, and if the butter is still on top of the sugar, keep stirring).

Take off the heat and cool for about 10 minutes.  When you take the pan off the heat you can also start to preheat your oven (depending on how long it takes to heat up) to 150 deg C (300 deg F).

Add the chocolate and whisk until smooth.

Add the eggs and whisk.  The mixture should become shiny and thick.

Add the vanilla, then the flour.  You only want to mix until the mixture is smooth, don't overbeat.

Pour the brownie batter into your lined tin, and then bake in the oven for 30 - 35 mins.  The mixture should have puffed up slightly, maybe only around the edges though, and the middle of the pan may still look wibbly under the surface.  At this point the brownies will have a chocolate truffle quality, if you cook them for 5 minutes more (watch carefully as you don't want the sides or surface to start to burn), they turn slightly more cakey, it depends on how you like your brownies.

Take them out of the oven and let them cool to room temperature.  Once at room temperature pop them (still in the baking tin) into the fridge, until the brownies are completely set.

To turn out run a knife down the two sides of the pan with no baking parchment, and then lift out using the handles.  For an 8 inch square tin, I would cut into 16 pieces.  Although they look small, the brownie is so rich this seems to be the right portion size.

Notes:

The brown sugar gives the brownies a slightly toffee taste.  You can vary the intensitity of the toffee quality by using either light brown sugar (for a mild toffee taste) or dark brown sugar (for a richer caramel flavour).

With whipped cream, or a good vanilla ice cream, these brownies make a great dessert.  You can go all out and add a chocolate fudge sauce too - but only for true chocoholics!