Easy Chocolate Brownies

My husband and I are flying to New York tomorrow to visit friends and family, and I'm so excited! (Although I'm totally not looking forward to the 30+ hours of flying. Yuck!) I only get to go home about once a year, and last time we were in New York we were getting married! I'm looking forward to catching up with everyone, going to a wedding, and of course enjoying the beautiful Autumn weather and food.

To get ready for our trip we've been cleaning up the apartment and trying to be as organized as possible. I was going through the kitchen pantry and getting all my baking supplies sorted when I found 3 half used bags of brown sugar. 2 of the bags were almost empty, and one still had a fair amount left. I have absolutely no memory of buying 3 different bags of sugar, but obviously I have a problem because I also discovered about 5 other bags of various types of sugars, and 2 different cans of cocoa powder. Maybe I subconsciously think there's going to be a surprise bake off and I need to be prepared with an industrial amount of every sugar ever invented? I honestly don't know. I do know that I had lots of sugar, cocoa powder, 2 eggs, and a half cup of butter left in the fridge, and what better way to use it all up than by making brownies?

Before baking batter.... and after!  

These brownies are super easy and you only have to dirty 1 bowl, which is perfect if you don't want to create any messes before going on holiday. The key to getting them gooey and yummy is to not over bake them. When you take them out, they should have a "skin" on top and be springy to touch, but do not rely on the old 'clean knife' trick. You want them to be a bit under cooked, because as chocolate cools it firms up. So if you bake your brownies too long you will end up with chocolate flavoured bricks. Also, try to use the best quality chocolate you can get. I like using Lindt 70% dark chocolate, but you can use milk chocolate or chocolate chips if you prefer.

Nutritional Info (per brownie): 164 Cals, 8.6g fat, 24.8g carbs

Easy Chocolate Brownies

Serves 16

Ingredients
3/4 cup self-raising flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup melted butter
1/4 cup cocoa powder
2 eggs
100g good quality chocolate (I used 70% dark Lindt)

Method
1. Preheat oven to 175 degrees Celsius or 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Sift the flour, sugars, and cocoa powder together in a bowl until combined.
3. Add butter and eggs and mix thoroughly. Batter should be semi thick and a fudgey consistency.
4. Scoop batter into a well greased 22 cm or 9 inch square dish and smooth until evenly distributed.
5. Break chocolate into small pieces and scatter across the surface of the batter.
6. Place in the oven for 25-30 minutes. Brownies should look a little under cooked, but they will get harder as they cool.

Best eaten while still warm and gooey with some ice cream or fresh berries.