Some brownies are cakey, and some are dense and fudgy. It all comes down to personal preference, but my vote always goes to the fudgy brownie. Cakey brownies are also delicious, don't get me wrong, but fudgy brownies are fudgy brownies. These are very simple and straightforward - you only need a bowl and a whisk. Short baking time ensures they stay moist, and the milk chocolate balances the unsweetened cocoa powder, so they are not overwhelmingly chocolatey. The cherry & honey topping just might be my new favourite thing. It's very lightly sweet, with the sour cherry flavour dominating. Really goes well with the brownies. As always, do not overmix the batter, and keep an eye on them as they bake, and they will turn out perfectly every time.
Ingredients
For the brownies
120 grams butter
100 grams milk chocolate
4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
200 grams sugar
4 medium eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
100 grams plain flour
For the cherry topping
300 grams cherries
3 tablespoons lemon juice
100 grams honey
2 tablespoons water
Preparation
Take a heavy-bottomed saucepan, dice in the butter, add the chopped up milk chocolate, and melt everything over medium heat, until smooth and glossy. Remove it from the heat and add the sifted cocoa powder, and the sugar. Whisk until the sugar dissolves, then add vanilla, and whisk it in. Prepare a small dish to crack the eggs in, then add them to the batter, one at a time, whisking well after each.
By this time, the batter should be lukewarm, so the eggs shouldn't scorch, but just to be sure, whisk them in quickly. Once the eggs are added, add the sifted flour and with as few strokes as possible, fold it in. Grease and flour a 23x30 (9x13") pan, pour in the batter, and bake them in a preheated oven, at 180°C (350°F) for about 15 minutes. Check them with a toothpick to make sure they are baked, but not dry. Remove from the oven, and let them cool in the pan.
While the brownies are cooling, make the topping. Remove the pits from the cherries and place them in a heavy-bottomed saucepan, along with the lemon juice, water, and half of the honey. Place the pan over medium heat and cook for about 15-20 minutes, stirring often, until the mixture becomes thick and very glossy, almost like a jam. Remove it from the heat, add the rest of the honey, and mix well. Spread the topping immediately over the brownies, and serve. Yields 9 servings.