Ultimate Chocolate Brownies

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4

Chop the dark chocolate into small pieces. Place the butter and dark chocolate into a microwavable bowl. For 20 seconds at a time heat the mixture until the chocolate and butter are fully combined and melted together

Alternatively place a medium saucepan, half filled with boiling water and bring to a boil. Set your bowl over the pan, making sure the chocolate and hot water do not come into contact (or the chocolate will split) Stir often until the chocolate is fully melted

Once the chocolate mixture has slightly cooled add the sugar (the mixture will look slightly grainy) Then add the eggs and whisk together until the mixture is slightly bubbly

Place the flour, cocoa powder and salt into a separate bowl (you can sieve them but I find it hardly makes a difference) Using a large metal spoon add the flour mix into the chocolate mix a bit at a time, and gently fold the chocolate mixture until thoroughly combined.

Use a little butter to grease the inside of a 23cm/9inch rectangular baking tray. Cut a square of baking parchment a bit bigger than your tin (roughly 27cm/11in). Snip a 5cm/2in cut diagonally from the corners toward the centre. Push the paper into the tin and ease the paper into the corners neatly - they will overlap slightly. Trim if needed.

Alternatively, you can make the mixture into brownie cupcakes, instead of pouring the batter into the tin, you can put it into cupcake cases this makes around 24 cupcakes

Gently pour the batter into the prepared tin and scatter the chocolate buttons, you can also arrange the buttons in rows which helps when cutting. (If using white chocolate as toppings wait till the brownies are baked as they burn in the oven)

Bake the brownies for 20-25 mins, they should wobble slightly in the middle as they will continue to cook for a little while once out of the oven. An over-baked brownie is dry and crumbly, rather than moist and fudgy, so keep an eye on them.

Let the brownies cool completely in their tin. Lift them out of the tin onto a board, using the baking paper to help, then cut into squares. Sift over a little icing sugar or cocoa powder if you like. Store in an airtight tin.