SOUR CHERRY AND CHOCOLATE BROWNIES
MAKES 16–20 SQUARES
250g (1 cup, plus 2 tbsp) salted butter, softened, plus extra to grease
150g (¾ cup) golden caster (superfine) sugar
100g (½ cup) light brown muscovado sugar
200g (1¼ cups) good-quality dark (bitter-sweet) chocolate (70 per cent cocoa solids), broken into squares
3 large eggs, plus 1 extra egg yolk, beaten
60g (½ cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
60g (⅔ cup) finest-quality cocoa powder, plus extra for dusting
½ tsp baking powder
60g (scant ½ cup) dried sour cherries
75g (½ cup) white chocolate, roughly chopped
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4. Lightly grease a 23cm (9in) square baking tin and line it with baking paper.
Put both types of sugar and the butter in a large bowl and beat with an electric whisk for several minutes until pale and fluffy.
Place the dark chocolate (reserving 30g/1oz for later) in a microwaveable bowl and melt in 30-second bursts in the microwave, stirring between each burst. Set aside and leave to cool slightly. Alternatively, place the chocolate in a small heatproof bowl that fits snugly over a pan of gently simmering water and leave for a few minutes to melt.
Add the eggs to the butter mixture gradually, beating well between each addition. Fold in the melted chocolate. Chop the remaining dark chocolate into small chunks and fold into the mixture. Lastly, sift over the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder, and gently but firmly fold in with the sour cherries without knocking any of the air out. Stir in the white chocolate.
Scrape the mixture into the prepared tin, smooth the top and bake for 25–28 minutes, checking after 25 minutes. When it is cooked, the top will have risen slightly and the brownie will appear slightly softer in the middle than around the edges. If it is not ready, cook for a further 3 minutes, then remove from the oven.
Leave to cool for 5 minutes in the tin, then transfer (with the baking paper) to a wire rack to cool. Don’t leave the brownie to cool completely in the tin or it will carry on cooking and will no longer be gooey in the middle. It will solidify a little on cooling, so if it appears a bit wet, don’t worry; it will be perfect.
Turn out onto a board, leave to cool slightly, then peel off the baking paper. Dust with cocoa powder and cut into squares before serving.
VARIATION
You can also add 50g (1¾oz) chopped pecans or walnuts to these brownies, if you like. These should be gooey in the middle with nuggets of molten chocolate and sour cherries to cut through the richness.