This basic brownie recipe is simply the best

Believe it or not, this special brownie recipe which my Mom made for us quite a lot growing up, became somewhat of a local phenomenon around these parts — they were that good!

This recipe is great because it doesn’t require any special equipment or ingredients. All you need is a bowl and spoon, making cleanup a dream. The brownies themselves are deliciously fudgy  and all of the ingredients are made up of store-cupboard staples, making this flawless traybake perfect for any last-minute cravings.

I’ve made this recipe a lot recently, trying to recreate these infamous brownies as best I could, while also adding my own spin on it. I added a mix of milk and dark chocolate chunks and decreased the cook time to make them a little less cakey, but if that’s your jam then simply leave them in the oven 3-5 minutes longer. Also, you can always add chopped nuts instead of chocolate chunks if you’d prefer, or even leave them out completely and have them plain. With that said, here’s the best basic brownie recipe you’ll ever need.

Ingredients: Makes 16 brownies

225g Granulated Sugar
110g Margarine
30g Cocoa Powder
1 tsp Instant Coffee
2 Eggs
1 tsp Vanilla
85g Self-Raising Flour
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
55g Chocolate Chunks (I like a 2:1 ratio of milk and dark chocolate chunks)

Method:

1. Preheat  your oven to 180° C/350° F/gas mark 4, and layer a 9x9x2 inch tin with grease-proof paper.
2. In a large microwavable bowl, add your sugar, margarine, cocoa and coffee and heat in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, until the margarine melts. Leave to cool slightly.
3. Beat your eggs into the chocolate mixture one at a time (the eggs will scramble if the mixture is too hot).
4. Stir in the flour, baking powder, salt and vanilla. Then pour the mixture into your prepared tin.
5. Scatter your chocolate chunks over the top of the brownie batter and pop into the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
6. Leave to cool in the tin for 30 minutes at least, before dividing into 16 pieces.

Note: I usually double the recipe when I make these as they last for up to a week in an airtight tin, perfect sharing with family and friends.