Obviously Easter ensures plenty of chocolate and therefor I have decided to share with you my favorite gift idea for the upcoming Easter holidays; a ready-to-use brownie box with all the ingredients of a sticky brownie mix. And again, obviously, the secret ingredient is always chocolate. This is a great idea to bless and spoil one of your friends or family members. It includes a delicious chocolate surprise and an easy baking experience that anyone can enjoy over the Easter weekend. Also don’t be shy, it is your Easter weekend as well, so bake a batch yourself.
Easy Easter Gift
Dry-ingredient, ready-to-use brownie box
These days you can buy a similar gift if you want to, but making a ready-to-use box yourself will be so much more sincere and real. Plus you can add things to the box that the specific friend will prefer and enjoy most. Be creative; add wine, coffee, preferred nuts and your friend’s most favorite chocolate. I am sure that the receiver of the gift will appreciate it even more if you have made the box yourself. It is really easy, convenient, clever and quick.
HOW TO MAKE A READY-TO-USE BROWNIE BOX;
- You can use collectable containers (like old mayo jars) or go to Plastic World or Crazy Store to buy rustic or vintage containers or jars in bulk.
- Just a free tip – this is not an expensive gift and rather a thoughtful gift, so if you buy the ingredients in bulk you will save and spoil more than one friend.
- Measure the dry ingredients and place them in chosen containers. In this case I have chosen a variety of containers that was also an add-on to the gift.
- Find the best chewy brownie recipe below; I placed the flour, sugar and nuts in separate containers and I chose a chocolate for the specific friend. Double check on the grams of the chocolate; previously I’ve chopped the chocolate in advance and also placed it in a container (be careful if you do it like this as chocolate melts easily).
- You can buy any chocolate, but again; the better the chocolate the better the end result will be. I will always suggest a very dark chocolate.
- If you want to you can add a bottle of wine to your box to assure a special experience for your friend or family member. A good bottle of red wine, either a blend or a Shiraz will pair stunningly with this specific brownie mix.
- This brownie mix will also pair stunningly with a good cup of coffee, so put in a bag of coffee beans or a few cappuccino sachets if your friend does not drink wine.
- Remember to add a print-out of the recipe and to place it into the box as well. Tell your friends that they only need to add butter and eggs when making these brownies.
- Place everything in a reusable box and bless your friend with both a chocolate indulgence and an effortless experience.
Chewy Chocolate Brownies
Recipe adapted from Ile de Pain – Knysna
A while back I really struggled when I baked brownies. I never managed to make brownies that are really chewy and perfectly gooey. Most recipes turned out to produce overly dry and boring brownies. “Not like those in the shops”; I would always tell myself. Until I tried Ile de Pain’s recipe… By the way if you are in Knysna you should definitely try out Ile de Pain; without a doubt my favorite breakfast and baking spot in Knysna (bookings are essential). Nevertheless, my ‘baking brownies world’ changed forever and now this recipe will always be my go-to recipe if I want to make chewy brownies. If you stick to these steps I can guarantee that these brownies will be a pleasure for anyone who loves chocolate.
Ingredients
- 180 g butter, melted
- 160 g chocolate. 72% chopped (the lindt dark chili chocolate also works uniquely)
- 350 g brown sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 4 jumbo eggs, room temperature
- 130 g cake flower
- 70 – 100 g of nuts (any type you like)
- ½ tsp baking powder
Crucial Steps
- Line the mold (20 x 20 cm) with baking paper – I would really suggest that you do not exclude the baking paper as the end result can be very sticky
- Pre-heat oven – 150C
- Place the chopped chocolate in a mixing bowl
- Bring butter to a boil and pour over chocolate – this is by far the best way to melt chocolate and to ensure that it does not burn
- Once all the chocolate is melted you can stir in the sugar and salt – you can use white sugar, I tend to find that brown sugar produces really sticky brownies
- Add the eggs one by one – there is some science behind it so remember; one by one and stirring well after each one.
- Sift flour and baking powder and fold it into the mixture
- Spoon the batter into the mold and sprinkle it with the chosen nuts
- Bake at 150C for 40-45 minutes
- Allow to cool thoroughly before removing it from the mold – cut into desired size brownies