The most incredibly rich brownies recipe

Dark chocolate and walnut brownies with a baked cream cheese and walnut topping make this Divine recipe almost a combination of brownie and cheesecake

Makes 24 pieces

Ingredients

For the brownie mix

1 x 100g bar Fairtrade dark chocolate
200g unsalted butter, diced
2 large free range eggs, at room temperature
375g caster sugar
250g plain flour
3 tbsp Fairtrade cocoa powder
¾ tsp bicarbonate of soda
A good pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla essence
50 walnut pieces

For the topping

100g unsalted butter at room temperature
200g good quality cream cheese at room temperature
½ tsp vanilla essence
1 large free range egg
200g icing sugar, sifted
50g walnut pieces

METHOD

How to make the most incredibly rich brownies

1. Heat the oven to 170°C/ 325°F/ Gas 3. Greased and line a 20.5 x 25.5cm brownie tin or baking tin.

2. Break up the chocolate and put into heatproof bowl with the butter. Melt gently over a pan of boiling water, then remove the bowl from the heat and leave to cool until needed. Put the eggs into the bowl of a food mixer. Whisk until just combined, then add the sugar and whisk until very thick and foamy. Sift the flour, cocoa, bicarbonate of soda and salt onto the mixture and gently fold in. Stir in the melted chocolate and vanilla. Transfer the mixture into the prepared tin and spread evenly. Scatter over the nuts.

3. To make the topping: beat the butter with the cream cheese and vanilla until smooth and creamy, using a food mixer or bowl and wooden spoon. Beat in the egg followed by the icing sugar, (if using a food mixer, do this on a low speed) to make a very smooth, thick batter.

4. Pour the topping over the brownie mixture and then gently spread it evenly. Scatter over the walnuts and bake in the heated oven for about 50 minutes until the topping is lightly coloured and the mixture is firm and set. Remove the tin from the oven and set on a wire cooling rack. Run a knife around the inside of the tin to loosen the brownie and then leave to cool before cutting into pieces.

5. Store in an airtight container in a cool place and eat within 3 days.