Chocolate Brownies

Brownies are high up on the list of my favorite deserts ever. They are simply wonderful - easy to make, require ingredients that are almost always already in my cupboard, and who can resist the perfectly textured chocolaty goodness? Certainly not me. 

Up until about a year ago I was still making brownies out of a box - which, don't get me wrong are very good. Then one of my friends got me a recipe book called Blissful Brownies. It is through this book that I learned that making brownies from scratch is just as easy as making them from a box and they taste oh so delightful. 

I wish my dinner plate could look like this every day.

Recipe:
Yield: 9 good sized brownies

8 oz butter (2 sticks), cut into small pieces
5 1/2 oz dark chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
4 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup hazelnuts, chopped
1/2 cup chocolate chips *

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8 x 8 inch baking pan (an 11 x 7 inch pan would work too).

Put the butter and chopped chocolate into a heatproof bowl and set over a pan of simmering water until melted. Remove from the heat. Sift the flour into a large bowl, add the sugar, and mix well. Stir the eggs into the chocolate mixture, then beat into the flour mixture. Add the nuts and chocolate chips and mix well. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes or until firm. Remove from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes.

*You can add or subtract any of the extra trimmings. Hazelnuts can be omitted, as can the chocolate chips. You can add raisins or coconut. Whatever your heart desires.

Source: slightly adapted from Blissful Brownies by Love Food