Brownies

Delicious vegan brownies! These are a bit more complicated, but don't let that put you off - it sounds worse than it actually is. And of course they're not strictly vegan - the butter can be substituted for a non-dairy alternative.

Ingredients
2 1/3 cups white flour
2 cups sugar
1 cup water
2/3 cup cocoa powder (unsweetened)
½ cup butter, melted
2 ½ tsps baking powder
2 tsps vanilla sugar OR 1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp salt
For the glaze:
50g butter
100g chocolate, dark/bitter
2 Tbsp icing sugar

Method
Grease or line a 25cm square tin*.
Into a small saucepan add the water (1 cup). Over a medium heat, gradually sift in 1/3 cup of flour, whisking continually, until it becomes a thick paste.
Transfer to a large glass or metal mixing bowl and allow to cool.

Meanwhile, put the melted butter/fat into a small bowl and sift in the cocoa. Add this mixture to the cooled flour & water paste. Stir in the sugar and vanilla.
Stir well to comine then sift in the remaining flour, baking powder and salt.
Mix well to combine.
Spread into the prepare tin and bake at 175oC for 20-25 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.
Allow to cool in the tin, then turn out.
For the glaze:

Gently melt the butter and chocolate together.
Sift the icing sugar into a bowl and slowly stir in the chocolate butter (to avoid lumps!).
Top the brownies with the chocolate glaze and spread evenly before it sets.

Allow the glaze to set completely before cutting into squares. To cut, wet a sharp, long blade knife (I use a bread knife) with hot water and press down and drag out, don't saw!


Makes 16.

*I've spent a small fortune, in terms of time, looking for a brownie baking tin. In the meantime, I've been using my iron grill pan with the handle removed!