THE BEST BROWNIES

These will honestly be the best brownies you've had. The recipe is based on the famous (if you went to my school at least) Benenden Brownies but with a couple of lil blood sugar friendly twists.

They're gooey, sticky, rich, have a papery top, and the best til last - CHOCOLATE CHUNKS. Make them.

Ingredients

• 185g unsalted organic butter

• 185g dark cooking chocolate (I like min. 70% cacao)

• 100g milk/dark chocolate (this is for the chocolate chunks, I use roughly 55% cacao)

• 85g plain organic flour

• 40g organic cocoa powder

• 3 large organic eggs

• 220g organic golden caster sugar (unrefined cane / brown sugar is fine too)

• 4 tablespoons bovine collagen powder (I use Kiki Health collagen peptides because it's pasture raised and hormone, antibiotic & pesticide free)

Method

1. Cut 185g unsalted butter into smallish cubes and put them into a small saucepan. Break 185g dark choc into small pieces and add to the pan. Put the pan over a low heat until the butter and chocolate have almost totally melted, stirring occasionally. Keep an eye on it and do not let it burn or stick to the bottom. Take the pan off the heat whilst there are still a couple of lumps, and then stir to melt. Leave to cool to room temp.

2. Position a shelf in the middle of the oven and turn the oven on to fan 160C/conventional 180C/gas 4. Using a shallow 20cm square tin, cut out a square of non-stick baking parchment to line the base.

3. Now tip 85g plain flour and 40g cocoa powder into a sieve held over a medium bowl, so they run through together and you get rid of any lumps.

4. Chop 100g milk/dark chocolate into chunks on a board.

5. Break 3 large eggs into a large bowl and tip in 220g golden caster sugar. With an electric mixer on maximum speed, whisk the eggs and sugar until they look thick and creamy, like a milkshake. This can take 3-8 minutes. You'll know it's ready when the mixture becomes really pale and about double its original volume. Another check is to turn off the mixer, lift out the beaters and wiggle them from side to side. If the mixture that runs off the beaters leaves a trail on the surface of the mixture in the bowl for a second or two, you're there.

6. Pour the cooled chocolate mixture over the eggy mousse, then gently fold together with a rubber spatula until the two mixtures are one and the colour is a mottled dark brown. The idea is to marry them without knocking out the air.

7. Hold the sieve over the eggy chocolate mixture and resift the cocoa and flour mixture to cover the top evenly. Then add the 4tbsp collagen powder to the bowl. Gently fold in the powders using the same figure of eight action as before. The mixture will look dry and dusty at first but if you keep going gently, it will end up looking delicious and fudgy. Stop just before you feel you should - you don't want to overdo this mixing. Finally, stir in the choc chunks.

8. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin. Put in the oven and set your timer for 25 minutes. When the buzzer goes, open the oven, pull the shelf out a bit and gently shake the tin. If the brownie wobbles in the middle, it's not quite done, so slide it back in and bake for another 5 minutes until the top has a shiny, papery crust and the sides are just beginning to come away from the tin. Take out of the oven.

9. Leave to cool and then cut them up! They'll keep in an airtight container for a good two weeks and in the freezer for up to a month - if you haven't finished them by then!

The science

The collagen increases the protein content which helps to maintain a more steady blood sugar response. I did the hard work for you and made a batch with collagen and a batch without, and my continuous glucose monitor showed a more steady glucose response with the collagen ones. For the best glucose response, have the brownie(s!!) as pudding with organic Greek yoghurt! YUM.

Please send me pics of your creations and message me with any questions or comments!