Dark Chocolate Macadamia Brownies

Who doesn’t like to bake brownies?

If my waistline is not an issue, these would be the stuff I bake all the time. On work days, any baking recipe which requires the effort of softening of butter is sort of a turn off for me. I like recipes which I can melt the butter (microwave or stovetop doesn’t worry me), add the rest of the ingredients and bake away. It’s pretty obvious I’m not a purist when it comes to baking. I enjoy baking when it is super easy and the success rate is pretty high. Brownies is one of the those recipes which makes my baking experience a pleasant one.

The recipe below is so simple that it makes pancake-making seems like a task.

Okay I may have exaggerated a little. 😛

But “treat” this recipe out with some good quality dark chocolate and luxurious nuts such as macadamia. I bet you loved ones will thank you for it. I know mine did! 😉

Dark Chocolate Macadamia Brownies

(tweaked slightly from Fresh & Tasty Chocolate Box)

What you’ll need:-

• 200g/ 7 ounces dark chocolate (used dark 85% cocoa by Green & Black’s)
• 100g/ 3.5 ounces butter
• 1 + 1/4 cups white sugar (used fine white sugar)
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (or essence)
• 1/2 cup chopped macadamia (about 55g / 2 ounces)
• Cocoa powder for dusting *optional*

(1) Preheat oven to 190 degrees Celsius/ 370 degrees F. Line a 20cm/8 inches square cake tin with baking paper, grease the uncovered surface with some oil or melted butter. (2) Melt chocolate and butter together in a saucepan over a medium heat until becomes smooth and glossy. Remove from heat. (3) Using a fork or a wooden spoon, stir in sugar and wait for the chocolate mixture to cool slightly. In the meantime, “roughly” chop macadamia. (4) Crack eggs into a measuring jug, lightly beaten before pouring into the chocolate mixture – see Note 1. Then mix in flour, baking powder and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth. (5) Stir in macadamia. (6) Pour the batter into the cake tin and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until the brownie mixture is set. Cut into squares and dust with some cocoa powder if you wish.

Note 1 – If you are worry about scrambling the eggs, you can add some chocolate mixture into the eggs to level up the temperature.