HAPPY NEW YEAR! The first recipe for 2017 has to be a special one, am I right?* We need something exciting and easy on the eyes, but also kinda easy in general too, as it is only the beginning of the year and we need to pace ourselves and get back in the game gently, yet with all our cool intact. Yeah. So brownies, am I right? I don’t think there is an easier, more foolproof dessert out there and I can hardly think of one that gives such deep satisfaction with such limited effort.

You got your eggs and your sugar, your cocoa and flour, a pinch of salt and another of baking powder and you basically have magic. Gooey, sweet and pretty magic. Throwing a couple extras in there, just because you can, and mostly because it’s the beginning of the year and we need extra magic and extra gooeyness and sweet tooth satisfaction- is absolutely advisable: cinnamon for earthy warmness (fact: chocolate and cinnamon are a match made in heaven); a good handful of dark chocolate chips for extra flavour and a silkier texture; finally, small yet mighty caramel fudge pieces to give our New Year brownies even more pizazz and looks and magic.

Are we ready for the new year? Well now we probably most certainly are.

*The year’s first home cooked meal was kinda in the same spirit: easy, bold flavoured, guaranteed to make one’s knees week.

    

Caramel & cinnamon dark chocolate brownies

INGREDIENTS

1 3/4 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup cocoa powder

3 medium eggs

1 1/2 cups caster sugar

1 cup unsalted butter, melted

 

1/3 cup dark chocolate chunks

1/3 cup caramel fudge chunks 

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180C (160C Fan), line a square baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.

Combine the dry ingredients and set aside.

Beat the eggs and sugar until light and frothy and combine with the melted butter. Add the dry ingredients and fold until combined. Lastly, add the dark chocolate and toffee chunks and fold again to incorporate.

Pour the mixture into the pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake in the preheated oven for 15′ or until the edges are set but the centre remains gooey.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 15′; lift from the pan and either slice and serve immediately or allow to cool completely.