These are “proper” brownies – rich and squidgy with a good strong flavour combination. It’s decidedly difficult to only have one.

Makes: 16 “moderate” pieces or 12 medium sized or 8 big ones or 4 really big gluttonous ones. You can decide.

Level: Quite easy

Time: Just over an hour for the basic brownies then, once cooled, another 20 – 25 minutes for decoration

Need: A 20cm/8” square cake tin.

Ingredients

185g/6½oz dark choc, chopped
185g/6½oz unsalted butter, diced
1 tsp instant coffee granules (optional, but it enhances the chocolate flavour)
3 large eggs
175g/6oz caster sugar
100g/3½oz soft light brown sugar
A few drops of raspberry flavouring (optional)
2 very ripe/soft bananas
85g/3oz plain flour (or use gluten free flour)
1 tsp xanthan gum powder (for the gluten free option)
¼tsp of fine salt
40g/1½oz cocoa powder
100g/3½oz chocolate chips or chunks (white, dark or milk)
50g – 75g (1¾ – 2½oz) raspberry pieces*

* I like using frozen raspberries because they crumble easily and they’re usually cheaper than fresh ones.

Decorating option

50g – 75g (1¾ – 2½oz) dark chocolate
10g butter
50g/1¾oz white chocolate
Some freeze dried raspberries

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C / Fan 160°C / 350°F / Gas 4. Butter and line the base and sides of the tin with baking parchment.

2. Melt the butter and chocolate together using a bain marie. Set aside to cool a little.

3. In another bowl, whisk the eggs & sugars until thick, light and creamy. Stir in raspberry flavouring (if using) and the cooled melted chocolate mixture. Then break in pieces of banana and whisk or beat until thoroughly mixed in.

4. Sift over the flour, xanthan gum powder (if using gluten free flour), salt and cocoa powder and fold in gently. Then stir in the chocolate chips and raspberry pieces.

5. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin. Bake for 28 – 35 minutes. It needs to still be a little soft when baked if you want nice squidgy brownies.

6. Allow it to cool in the tin then cut it into pieces using a sharp, wet knife or a metal bench scraper. OR turn out the whole slab, inverted, and cut into pieces.

7. Melt the dark chocolate and butter. Pour or brush this over the inverted brownies.

8. When the dark chocolate has set, melt the white chocolate and fill a piping bag. Snip a tiny hole and pipe zig-zag lines on the brownies. Before it sets, sprinkle with freeze dried raspberries. (You’ll have to work quickly so be prepared ahead. You may also need to press the freeze dried raspberries firmly into the chocolate. Tweezers are useful for this.)

Have a look at my site for other recipes, sweet and savoury. Click this link for more tasty traybake recipes. Here are some of my personal favourites that I think you’ll love too:

Blueberry and Orange Flapjack