Perhaps the perfect brownie. ..crunchy top, moist inside and packed with chocolate!

Makes 12

8 ounces unsalted butter, chopped

8 ounces dark chocolate, chopped

4 eggs

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 cup superfine sugar

½ teaspoon table salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup all purpose flour

4 ounces pecan nuts, roasted and chopped

4 ½ ounces milk chocolate, chopped

3 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar, for decoration

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease and line a 28 x 18 cm tin with parchment paper. Melt butter in a large heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Add dark chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Place eggs into a mixing bowl and whisk until lightly beaten. Add the sugars and whisk until combined and smooth. Add salt and vanilla, mix to combine. Pour the egg mixture into the chocolate mixture and whisk until well combined. Add flour and whisk until smooth. Fold in the pecans and chopped milk chocolate then pour into prepared tin. Bake for 55-60 minutes or when a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out with a few moist crumbs still clinging. It’s okay for the toothpick to look moist, but if you see wet batter, keep baking. Allow to cool completely in tin.  Remove from tin and cut into 12 squares. 

To make star template: Cut a 3 ½ x 3 ½ inch piece of paper. Place a 2 ¼ inch star cookie cutter in the centre. Trace around the cookie cutter with a pencil. Use small scissors to cut star section out and discard, leaving the square of paper with a star cut out in the centre. Working one brownie at a time, place the star template onto a brownie then sift over confectioner’s sugar. Carefully remove template and repeat with remaining brownies.

Photo by China Squirrel