Cake Angels' Chocolate Brownies Recipe

Ingredients

• 200g (7oz) good-quality
• (60% cocoa) dark dairyfree chocolate
• 200g (7oz) dairy-free butter
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1 medium egg, beaten
• 300g (10½oz) caster sugar
• 1½ tsp vanilla extract
• 100g (3½oz) wheat- and gluten-free plain flour
• 1 tsp xanthan gum
• ½ tsp salt
• 35g (1¼oz) cocoa powder, plus extra for dusting

you will also need

• 18 x 27cm (7 x 10½ inch)
• shallow baking tin

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C/140°C fan/Gas 3. Grease and line the baking tin, leaving enough baking parchment hanging over the edge so you can lift the brownies easily out of the tin.Melt the chocolate and dairy-free spread together in a heatproof bowl.

2. You can either do this over a simmering pan of water on the stove, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water, or microwave on a high setting for about 1½ minutes. Stir to make sure the ingredients have melted together.

3. Using a hand-held electric mixer on a high speed setting, beat the eggs, sugar and vanilla together for about 5 minutes until it becomes thick, creamy and pale in colour.

4. Gradually add the melted chocolate and dairy-free spread, using a slow mixer speed, until the mixture is well combined. Gently fold the sifted flour, xanthan gum, salt and cocoa powder through the creamy mixture using long, folding motions (you don’t want to beat the air out). Spoon the mixture into the lined baking tin, making sure it is evenly distributed, and level with the back of a metal spoon.

5. Bake for 30 minutes. You might think they don’t look cooked and be tempted to leave them in for longer, but don’t. Brownies continue to cook and firm up as they cool. Leave the brownies to cool in the tin for 1 hour, if you can last that long! They will be easier to cut the longer you leave them. Dust lightly with cocoa powder. Remove the brownies from the tin, peel off the baking parchment and leave to finish cooling on a metal cooling rack.

6. Once cold, cut into squares using a large plastic knife if you have one. If you don’t, use a large sharp knife heated in hot water between slices. It will stop you getting into a lovely gooey mess.