Bake Off at Home: This Fudge Brownie Recipe Is the Only One You’ll Ever Make

The Great Australian Bake Off is coming in hot and with the newest season airing next week, we can hardly wait to see all the delicious goods that get whipped up. So in the meantime, we’ve asked 2023 contestant Laura Foo to share her favourite fudge brownies recipe.

• 225 g good quality chocolate (Foo likes dark chocolate at 50-60%)
• 170 g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 240 g caster sugar
• 2 eggs, room temperature
• 95 g plain flour
• 30 g cocoa powder (Dutch-processed is best, Foo says, but you can use whatever you have)
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1 tablespoon instant coffee or espresso powder (if your granulates are course, dissolve in a few drops of hot water to form a thin paste)
• Flaky sea salt, for garnish

Foo says that you can also experiment with any of the below ingredients for your own brownie recipe:

• Double/triple choc: 100 g extra chocolate (milk, white, gold, or dark)
• Nuts: 100 g roasted chopped nuts (walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans)
• Mocha: more espresso powder to your taste
• Salted caramel: drizzle on top when brownies are just out of the oven
• S/mores: mini marshmallows and crushed digestive or Marie biscuits (bake halfway, then top brownie with marshmallow and crushed up biscuits before returning to the oven to finish baking)

Directions to make this fudge brownies recipe:

1. Preheat oven to 160°C fan forced (180°C convection). Prepare your 20×20 cm square baking tin by lining it with baking paper
2. If using a chocolate bar, chop it into chunks and melt half gently in the microwave, in short 20-30 second intervals. Save the other half for later, and set melted chocolate aside to cool
3. Whisk the melted butter and sugar together in a large bowl (an electric hand mixer is helpful but optional), then add the eggs, whisking until light and fluffy
4. Whisk in slightly cooled melted chocolate and espresso until smooth
5. Sift in the flour, cocoa powder and salt, then use a spatula to fold gently until just combined
6. Fold in reserved chocolate chunks and any other add-ins. Transfer to the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle sea salt flakes on top
7. Bake the 20-25 minutes, depending on desired fudginess. Poke a toothpick in the centre of the brownies – if it emerges with chocolate clinging to the toothpick (but not running off), brownies will be gooey and fudgy
8. Allow to cool in tin for at least 10 minutes if serving warm, or completely before slicing and enjoying

If you’re looking for more Bake Off hacks and tips, check out this delicious satay sauce recipe or this awesome baking paper trick