Hello friends! Sorry for being a bit quiet here lately – the weeks are just going by so fast! Not long until I go back to the day job so I’m enjoying every moment with Little One. Have you made any Christmassy plans? I’ve been working on a few handmade bits that I can’t share with you yet…and also doing a bit of baking. I love trying out new recipes for Christmas each year, and this one is so good. These Christmas brownies are the perfect treat – the fruit, nuts, hint of spice and brandy all work so well with the chocolate. They really are a taste of Christmas! Even Tom enjoyed them and he’s not usually a fan of fruit and nuts, so that’s saying something!

This recipe is originally from the BBC Food website.

Ingredients

30ml/1fl oz/2 tbsp brandy

100g/3½oz dried cranberries

300g/10½oz dark chocolate, broken into chunks

200g/7oz butter

4 free-range eggs

300g/10½oz light muscovado sugar

200g/7oz plain flour

1 tsp mixed spice

100g/3½oz pecans, roughly chopped icing sugar, to serve

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4 and line a 30x20cm/12x8in tin with baking parchment.

2. Gently heat the brandy then add the cranberries and leave to soak while you prepare the brownie mix.

3. Melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl over a pan of simmering water, or in the microwave. Stir gently until smooth then set aside to cool slightly.

4. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until pale and fluffy.

5. Whisk the chocolate and butter mix into the eggs then gently fold in the flour, mixed spice, pecans, cranberries and brandy until fully incorporated.

6. Pour into the prepared tin, smooth the surface then bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the brownie is firm to the touch.

7. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then place on a wire rack until cooled completely. Once cool, cut into squares and dust the tops with icing sugar.

Enjoy!

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