leftover easter egg brownies

Prepare a shallow baking or brownie tin (about 22cm by 22cm); line with lightly greased baking parchment.

Preheat the oven to 180C / Gas Mark 4.

Melt the butter, brown sugar and chocolate in a saucepan over a low heat. Stir constantly to create a soft chocolate sauce. Set aside to cool slightly.

Beat the eggs together in a large mixing bowl.

Stir in the slightly cooled melted chocolate sauce. (It needs to be cooled in order that it does not cook the eggs).

Stir in the well-drained dried fruit.

Sift together the flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder and spices.

Fold these dry ingredients into the chocolate and egg mixture. Ensure that it is well combined. Tip the brownie batter into the prepared tin and bake in the middle of the oven for about 20 to 25 minutes. (My oven is quite hot so I tend to check after about 15 minutes to see how set the cake is in the centre).

Leave to cool, before turning out of the tin and cut into squares. (I tend to leave this for a decent length of time, sometimes overnight, otherwise the brownies disintegrate when cutting and are only suitable for serving as a pudding, with thick double cream. And none the worse for that!)

Dust with icing sugar, cocoa or drinking chocolate before serving.

I had thought of using up my Christmas mincemeat instead of the dried fruit. While this would have worked very well, I am a little mincemeated out. Perhaps in the Autumn!