Cafe Lula

Dear Maltesers

If I crush you up and bake you in brownies, are you still the lighter way to enjoy chocolate? Please say yes.

Yours sincerely (yeah, I know the letter writing rules)

Julia

P.S. Please can you hide from Chris when he approaches the sweets cupboard, otherwise he eats all of you and I am sad. Hide behind the Pringles, I don’t like those.

I found this recipe while browsing Leanne Bakes (which is ace, by the way) and I can’t believe I’ve never come across it before. Malteser brownies! How had I never heard of these? Have you all been keeping them a secret? Why would you do that? Why? Hmph. Well, nevermind. I’ve made them now and I just ate one for breakfast. Nom nom nom.

Malteser brownies

Adapted from Leanne Bakes (originally from Martha Stewart)

Makes about 24

Ingredients:

225g/1 cup (2 sticks) butter

280g/10 oz plain (semi-sweet) chocolate (I used 50% cocoa solids)

250g/1.25 cups brown sugar

3 large eggs

125g/1 cup plain (all-purpose) flour

125g/1 cup (4.5oz) malted milk powder

115g/1 cup (4 oz) maltesers, coarsely crushed (this was about 6 fun-size packets)

1 tbsp vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 170C/350F and grease and line a 9 x 13 baking pan.

Melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water, stirring occasionally until melted.

In another bowl, whisk the sugar and eggs together with a hand-held electric whisk until thick and fluffy. This takes a couple of minutes. Pour the sugar and egg mixture plus the vanilla into the chocolate mixture and whisk to combine. Fold in the flour, malted milk powder and maltesers.

Pour and scrape the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 30-35 minutes (mine were done at 30), until a cake tester inserted in the center has just a few crumbs on it. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool the brownies. Cut them into 24 pieces and then eat half. Or share them, if you’re so inclined. Weirdo.