When it comes to homemade treats, what could be better than a batch of warm chocolate brownies on a cold winter weekend? They're easy to make, taste amazing and best of all, they're one of the most versatile things to bake.
Want to make brownies with a difference? Kate from What Kate Baked shares her recipe with cranberries, cherries, almonds (and a sneaky drop of brandy) below...
Ingredients
30ml brandy
50g cherries
50g dried cranberries
60g plain flour
60g cocoa powder
½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp mixed spice
250g golden caster sugar
200g softened unsalted butter
200g chocolate (70 per cent cocoa solids)
3 lightly beaten large eggs plus 1 extra egg yolk
100g blanched almonds
Instructions:
1. Place the cherries and cranberries into a small bowl. Gently heat the brandy before pouring over the dried fruit. Set aside.
2. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/Gas Mark 4. Line the bottom of a baking tin, approximately 23cm x 23cm, with baking parchment.
3. Sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder and mixed spice in a bowl and set aside.
4. Break the chocolate into pieces and melt in a pyrex bowl suspended over, but not touching, a pan of simmering water. As soon as the chocolate has melted remove from the heat.
5. Put the sugar and butter into the bowl of a food mixer and beat for several minutes until light and fluffy.
6. With the food mixer running slowly, introduce the beaten eggs a little at a time, speeding up in between additions.
7. Remove the bowl from the mixer to the work surface, then mix in the melted chocolate with a large metal spoon. Stir in the almonds, dried fruit and brandy.
8. Lastly, fold in the dry ingredients, without knocking any of the air out.
9. Scrape the mixture into the prepared cake tin, smooth the top and bake for 30 minutes. A skewer inserted into the centre will be sticky but shouldn't be coated with raw mixture.
10. Once cooled, cut into squares and dredge with icing sugar.
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