The PERFECT brownies (Rolo)

Behind the scenes I've been lusting after shiny topped brownies. You know, the kind that have that meringue like crust on top? Well I've sussed it! There's no change in the ingredients to my old brownie recipe, BUT there is a change in the method. Lets begin...

Ingredients:- 

85g unsalted butter, cut into pieces, plus more for greasing baking tin 

40g cornflour 

30g unsweetened cocoa powder 

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

1/2 teaspoon fine salt 

340g dark chocolate 

170g caster sugar 

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract 

3 medium eggs

Optional handful of Rolos

Method:- 

Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Lightly butter a 20cm by 30cm rectangular baking tin and line with grease-proof paper, leaving a 1 inch overhang on all sides. 

Combine the cornflour, cocoa, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl. On the hob, gently melt the chocolate and butter. 

When the chocolate and butter have melted, leave to one side to cool.

In a stand mixer, whisk the eggs and sugar until is resembles a frothy milkshake like consistency. Then add the cooled chocolate mix, but pour it in gently, you don't want to knock any of the air out of the egg and sugar mixture that you've just whipped into oblivion! Then gently fold the chocolate and eggy sugar mix together.

Once combined, sieve the cornflour, cocoa, cinnamon and salt mixture over the top of the brownie mix and again GENTLY fold the mix together until combined . 

Pour the batter into your pre-greased and lined brownie tin and smooth over the top with a spatula.

At this point I added a massive handful of Rolos - it was a happy day!

Pop the brownies in to bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, about 30-35 minutes, rotating the tin halfway through.

Let cool completely in pan on a wire rack.

It turns out (after some good old Google research) that it's the method of mixing the sugar with the eggs that gives the brownies their infamous shiny tops, who knew! Well I do know, and so do all of you :)

Rolo Cookies

You might not love anyone enough to give them your last rolo, but a rolo cookie?! Hell yes! These are a take on my chocolate chip cookie recipe but with a caramely rolo centre. Enjoy!

Ingredients:-
150g salted butter, softened
80g light brown muscovado sugar
80g granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg
225g plain flour
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
¼ tsp salt
200g plain chocolate chip or chunk
1 pack of Rolos

Method:-
Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Line two baking trays with non-stick baking paper.

Add the butter and both sugars to a bowl and beat until creamy. I use a standalone mixer for this and beat, using the paddle attachment, for a good 2-3 minutes.

Next add in the vanilla extract and egg, and mix until combined.

Sieve the flour, bicarbonate of soda and salt over the mixture and beat until the mixture magically becomes cookie dough. Add the chocolate chips and mix with a wooden spoon or spatula.

Using a trusty ice cream scoop, dollop mounds of the mixture, spaced well apart on the baking trays, then push a Rolo into the center of each mound of cookie dough.

Bake in the oven for 8–10 mins until golden brown on the edges.

Leave on the trays for a couple of minutes to firm up and then transfer to a cooling rack.