Chocolate Brownies

Ok, this is really just an excuse to eat chocolate (like you need an excuse, right?) This works equally well with or without nuts. I have often used macadamia nuts, but you can use hazelnuts, or whatever takes your fancy.

Ingredients
30g butter
250g dark chocolate, chopped
80g butter, extra
2 teaspoons vanilla essence
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
2 eggs
1/2 cup plain flour
1/2 cup copped nuts (optional)
1/3 cup sour cream (none of the light rubbish, go for the full fat)

Chocolate Icing
125g dark chocolate chopped
60g unsalted butter

Method
1 Grease deep 19cm square cae pan, line base with baking paper.

2. Melt 30g butter in pan, add 250g chopped chocolate, stir over low heat until chocolate is melted; cool 5 minutes.

3. Beat 80g extra butter, essence and sugar in a small bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy; beat in eggs 1 at a time. Transfer mixture to large bowl. Stir in sifted flour, then chocolate mixture, nuts and cream.

4. Spread mixture into prepared pan. Bake at 180C for about 45 minutes; cool in pan.

5. Turn from pan, remove paper. Spread with chocolate icing; cut when set,

Chocolate Icing
Melt chocolate and unsalted butter over simmering water; cool to room temperature. Beat with wooden spoon until thick and spreadable.