Easter Brownies
Easter is my favourite time of year. Australia is getting cooler, the weather makes running easier and getting out of bed a little harder. Easter is kind of a big deal for my family and it holds a lot of special memories for me.
Every Easter, my mum would make each of us (kids) customised rugs with sparkles, bunnies and embroidery. The rugs sat inside elaborate baskets which the Easter Bunny / Bilby would fill with chocolate goodies. We would always get Humpty Dumpty Eggs filled with smarties which (much to the horror of our parents) we would throw against our bedroom roof to smash up the egg and share.
There was always too many eggs. So I have developed a recipe to use up any eggs you just can’t finish. Re-purpose that Easter chocolate into a fudgy brownie, make more chocolate.
Makes 16 squares or more or less depending on how it is cut.
The Brownie
125 g butter,* softened
180g 80% dark chocolate (you could use up those Lidnt bunnies)
3 room temperature eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
3/4 cup plain flour
1/4 cup cocoa
1 tsp vanilla
sprinkle of salt
200 g chocolate eggs, about 8 eggs halved for the top and the remainder roughly chopped to put into the mixture*
To make the brownies
Preheat the oven to 170’C, fan forced or 180’C for any other oven
Line a rectangular or square lamington tin with baking paper.
Place butter and chocolate in a heat proof bowl over a pot of simmering water and stir gently until melted and smooth. Remove from heat.
Add eggs, brown sugar, flour, cocoa, vanilla and salt to the melted chocolate mixture and mix until just combined.
Add the chopped chocolate eggs into the mixture and gently fold until combined.
Pour and scoop mixture into the prepared tin. Arrange halved eggs on top of brownie with flat cross-sections facing upwards.
Bake for 20 - 25 minutes.*
Notes:
*You can use any amount of leftover Easter Eggs, BE CREATIVE CHOOSE, YOUR OWN ADVENTURE!
*I like my brownies to be a bit underbaked, so I often take it out when there’s still a wobble in the middle. I’m team gooey not cakey. Choose your fighter!
final thoughts…
It was around this time last year, that I was getting ready to go out to a fancy restaurant to celebrate my three year anniversary. Now I’m gearing up to cook my own three course anniversary menu because none of our favourite restaurants are open. I will be testing and learning a bunch of new techniques and recipes. It’s good to have something to look forward to and get excited about. I will let you know how my fine dining experience at home goes.
Amelia xx
