Nigel Slater's Choc Brownies

[aseriouslyblondemoment]

does anyone have a recipe to beat his?

Aseriouslyblondemoment - sorry, I didn't see your post until today. I normally just use a supermarket's own dark chocolate (Waitrose is our local, so generally theirs but I used to use Sainsburys a lot). Bournville works well as well, although you could use better quality choc too I think.

I might try 120's brownies, and I really should make Nigel's sometime.

no probs heffa
my baking cupboard is always well stocked!
will give them a whirl over the next few days and report back

Oooh, I just made 120's brownies today and they're yummy. I like the texture the wholemeal flour gives. Very tasty :)

Right just made the cook yourself thin ones. Will give the recipe then the verdict:

50ml veg or sunflower oil
150g caster sugar
2 med free range eggs, well beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
50g cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
80g plain flour

Mix oil and sugar, add eggs and vanilla and stir vigorously.

Add dry ingredients and mix well

Bake in a 20x20cm pan for about 15 mins at 175 degrees centigrade.

So verdict:

I would say these are an every day brownie. The benefits are they are cheap to make, the are 'healthier' than most brownies so you could make them for a regular chocolate treat or whip them up for the kids.

I would say they are not as chocolately as I would like, and powdery rather than moist and chocolatey in texture, sort of stick to the roof of your mouth. The are easy to make though the mixture is very thick and difficult to put in the dish smoothly. Probably needs a little more oil.

Apparently keep for a week in the fridge and freeze well (according to the book).

Like I said, these are your every day brownies, not ones to wow your friends, but to whip up from store cupboard ingredients.

Ooh, made Nigel's brownies last weekend (completely independently of this thread) and they were just filthy. Thought I'd got them wrong too as they wouldn't set or cut, but the lumpy irregular chunks just added to the all-round peversion of them I think.

Right, I made Nigels for the first time last weekend - I usually use THIS RECIPE.

I have to say that I like Nigel's but I will go back to using my usual recipe next time.

The main difference is that in the Good Food recipe you whisk the eggs and sugar until it is a very light airy mass, then you fold in all the other ingredients (with the chocolate and butter melted together).

With Nigel's recipe you start by creaming the butter and sugar and then add everything to that mixture.

The Good Food ones are a bit lighter but still very chocolatey.

But I am sure that others will have their own favourite

Inspired by this thread and the Great British Bakeoff (DS(6)'s current fave programme - I know its on late but hey its the summer ) I will be making 120's brownies tomorrow. Might try with an extra egg yolk, will go for 21-22 mins, 100 percent G and B cocoa. Have ordered the wholemeal sr flour in especially!

OK, 120's brownies are just cooling down enough to go in the fridge. Have sheared off a corner in the interest of reporting back. I kept the eggs the same but used G and B cocoa and 1 bar of chopped up G and B 70 pc choc in place of the choc chips. I cooked them for 22 mins.

They are quite a lot sweeter than Nige's and not as chocolatey BUT they are much easier to make, and what I would call more of a traditional brownie flavour. I have friends and a motley selection of children here tomorrow, for which these brownies will be perfect.

I will report back on texture once they have been refrigerated for a bit. :)

I agree that the Orlando Murrin recipe linked to by PrettyFeckinVacant is better than Nige's.

I find though that it works best with Lindt 70%. With Green and Blacks or with Lindt 85% it just didn't hit the spot. Too austerely mouth clogging.

I did make it with Green and Blacks coffee flavour chocolate and it was lush, very dark and coffee intense and grown up tasting.

I agree that the eggs/sugar whisking to ribbon stage is what makes these brownies very special.

I make them without the white choc chips though, as I think that is overkill. Sometimes I make them with no chips at all and usually with chopped up Lindt 70%. The recipe contains no nuts.

I've had at least two people tell me they were the best brownie they have ever tasted, and everyone who has tried them has snaffled more and asked for the recipe.

Right. My attempt at 120's are fridge cold now and all the better for it IMO. They aren't cakey but are squidgy but not the same as Nige's. They are lighter than Nige's I would say and have a different top, lighter and firmer.

Perfect for tomorrow. If I can just stop testing them......

Will try PFV's one the next time in the interests of research.

Thanks wildstrawberry - I never thought of using the flavoured chocolate. Might have to give them a go again now.

I always use the Menier Chocolate Patissier 70% and they turn out lovely.

Just another comment on Nigel's - I kept a few brownies for a few days and they definitely get yummier as the days go by

Just felt the need to add that the brownies from Leith's Baking Bible are pretty flipping amazing.

Must go and try the Nigel ones in the interests of fairness and balance :)

I just made the Orlando Murrin brownies and they're amazing. They were tasty when they were still warm but absolutely delicious once cold. Very yum! Very fudgey and I like the chunks of chocolate.

Still need to make Nigel's brownies though!

Hi all, sorry been away on holiday and putting my property on the market so seriously behind on the brownie making! Hoping to eat catch up this week. Have a few new babies on the horizon (not mine) so perfect time to get baking.

Ok, I made the Orlando Murrin brownies and they were really fantastic. Papery top, squidgy inside, get better by the day. Delicious! I seem to think they were a faff to make but then I was trying to make them, courgette and cheese muffins for friends coming over for lunch, and I don't have an electric beater (actually I do now, £5 from Sainsbo's!), but I roped in my lunch guest and gave him my electric mouli, they actually probably weren't that much of a faff I was just trying to do too much.

They are so delicious I might have to have a third one this evening...

I made Nigel's yesterday. Good, but not great. The taste isn't as rich as I'd like and the texture isn't that fudgy. I've had them both hot from the oven and from the fridge. They are very good, but not as good as the Orlando Murrin ones which I reckon are the best I've ever had. My chocolate mad niece wasn't too keen either.

Just book marking all te lovely recipes - promised to make brownie's for the children & now I have no excuses left!!

Ok, I finished the brownies off yesterday and they really do get better by the day. For me ladies, the hunt is off and it's the Orlando ones from now on!

keep losing this thread! Bumper, are the Orlando ones the same as the cook yourself thin ones?

Bumperlicious - I completely agree about the Orlando ones, they are just yum. Might make some more actually

120 - the Orlando Murrin ones are on PrettyFeckinVacant's link

No the orlando ones are on BBC good food. They are the uber brownies.

The cook yourself thin ones are for when you need a quick fix that isn't too naughty :)

Thank you!

Interesting article

Very interesting, thanks Bumperlicious! - who's going to be first to try Felicity's perfect recipe then?

me me me! Taffeta, in reality you've been far better at getting round to it. I'm full of good intentions - have been working on sourdough starters this week, but fully intend to get back to the brownies..