The most awesome double chocolate brownies

Ingredients:250g butter375g castor sugar tsp vanilla essence4 eggs125g flour90g cocoa powder tsp baking powder tsp salt cup chopped mixed nuts (e.g. hazelnuts and pecans)1 cup dark chocolate chips12 Tbsp milk, to loosenMethod:1. Preheat the oven to 180C. Grease a medium-sized,square baking tinor line with baking paper.2. In a small saucepan, over a medium heat, melt the butter and then add it to a mixing bowl with the sugar and vanilla essence.3. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating in between each addition.4. Sift in the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder and gently fold in the salt, nuts and chocolate chips. Add extra milk to loosen your mixture if it seems too stiff but remember that brownies are quite dense so the mixture will be heavier.5. Spoon the mixture into the baking tin and bake for 25 minutes, or until only just cooked through. The brownies should be gooey inside.6. Allow to cool in the tin, cut into squares and serve with a dusting of icing sugar.

Ingredients3 sticks plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter12 ounces best-quality bittersweet chocolate6 eggs1 3/4 cups superfine sugar1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour1 teaspoon salt1/2 cup white chocolate buttons, chips, or morsels1/2 cup semisweet chocolate buttons, chips or morselsApproximately 2 teaspoons confectioners' sugar, for garnishSpecial equipment: Baking tin (approximately 11 1/4 inches by 9 inches by 2 inches), sides and base lined with baking parchment.DirectionsPreheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Melt the butter and dark chocolate together in a large heavy based pan over a low heat.

In a bowl or large measuring jug, beat the eggs together with the superfine sugar and vanilla extract.

Allow the chocolate mixture to cool a little, then add the egg and sugar mixture and beat well. Fold in the flour and salt. Then stir in the white chocolate buttons or chips, and the semisweet chocolate buttons or chips. Beat to combine then scrape and pour the brownie mixture into the prepared tin.

Bake for about 25 minutes. You can see when the brownies are ready because the top dries to a slightly paler brown speckle, while the middle remains dark, dense and gooey. Even with such a big batch you do need to keep checking on it: the difference between gooey brownies and dry ones is only a few minutes. Remember, too, that they will continue to cook as they cool.

To serve, cut into squares while still warm and pile up on a large plate, sprinkling with confectioners' sugar pushed with a teaspoon through a small sieve.

Recipe courtesy Nigella Lawson

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/nigella-lawson/triple-chocolate-brownies-recipe2.html?oc=linkback

Ingredients1 1/4 sticks (10 tablespoons) unsalted butter1 3/4 cups packed light brown sugar3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted1 cup all-purpose flour1 teaspoon baking sodaPinch salt4 eggs1 teaspoon vanilla extractAbout 6 ounces milk chocolate, chopped into small nuggety chunks (or 1 cup chips)Confectioners' sugar, to dust, optionalSpecial Equipment: Aluminium foil-lined baking pan or foil pan, about 13 x 9 x 2 inchesDirectionsIt's not as if I were short of a brownie recipe or two: I have over the years made them on easy autopilot; but I am no less grateful for this everyday, no-notice version. They are less extravagant - I use cocoa powder in place of the good-quality chocolate, and stud the mixture with a newstand's or convenience store's bar or two of milk chocolate - although to taste them, you would never, never guess. They ooze with such dark elegance and deep, deep chocolatiness.

This is the recipe you turn to when a child or colleague informs you last thing that you're expected to bake something for a bake sale tomorrow. You can just smile serenely and head for the cupboard. If you're working from a more restrained array, so are clean out of light brown sugar, and there's no chance to nip to a convenience store for the chocolate, then just use 1 1/2 cups regular white sugar and up the butter to 1 1/2 and the cocoa to a heady 1 cup.

A final note or, rather, nag: when I say cocoa powder, I do mean unsweetened cocoa; do not under any circumstance ever substitute drinking chocolate.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Melt the butter over a gentle heat in a medium-sized saucepan.

When it's melted, add the sugar, stirring with a wooden spoon (still over a low heat) to help it blend with the melted butter.

Whisk together the cocoa powder, flour, baking soda and pinch of salt, and then stir into the pan; when mixed (this will be a very dry mixture, and not wholly blended at this stage), remove from the heat.

In a bowl or jug, whisk the eggs with the vanilla extract and then mix into the brownie mixture in the pan.

Stir in the chopped chocolate and quickly pour and scrape into a foil-lined baking tin or disposable foil pan, spreading the mixture with a spatula, and cook in the preheated oven for about 20 to 25 minutes. It will look set, dark and dry on top, but when you feel the surface, you will sense it is still wibbly underneath and a cake tester will come out gungy. This is desirable.

Transfer the pan to a rack to cool a little before cutting into 16 pieces and dusting with confectioners' sugar. I love these gorgeously warm. But then again, I love them cold, too. Actually, when cold they are properly speaking more brownie-like: gooily tender within and moreishly chewy on top.

Make Ahead Note: The brownies can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored in airtight container. Will keep for total of 5 days.

Freeze Note: The brownies can be frozen for up to 3 months in airtight container, layered with baking parchment. Thaw overnight in cool place.

From Nigella Kitchen by Nigella Lawson. Copyright 2010 Nigella Lawson. Published by Hyperion. All Rights Reserved.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/nigella-lawson/everyday-brownies-recipe.html?oc=linkback