* Chocolate Zucchini Brownies

I made these Chocolate Zucchini Brownies three times before I felt they were good enough to share... with real touchable people as well as all of you!

Usually, it seems to take me longer to photograph and blog a recipe, than it does to actually make it - not this time, however... I made these brownies three times before I finally got them right!

The first time I made them, I squeezed all of the water out of the zucchini and they were a tad cake-like in consistency. Nice, but not dense and chewy enough to be called a brownie.

The second time I made them in a 20cm x 20cm square cake tin and only used 50g/2oz of chocolate chips, but I didn't squeeze the water out of the zucchini.... they were really good and completely shareable but I forgot to take photographs.... because we ate them a tad quickly.

Just a tad.

The third time I used a 27cm x 17cm baking pan, didn't squeeze the water out of the zucchini and added 100g/4oz of chocolate chips.... and remembered to photograph them before we ate them... barely. They were awesome - dense, chewy, chocolatey, nommy bars of heaven.

The best compliment in the world was when my friend Lynne's daughter - Deryn - ate five of them before we could get the lid back on the tin they'd been served in. I sat there in awe and delight. Finally, someone with an even bigger capacity for sweet things, than I.

But only just.

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Chocolate Zucchini Brownies Recipe

Makes 12 Brownies

Prep time - 10 minutes
Cooking time - 20 - 30 minutes
Total time 30 - 40 minutes

You will need
A 27cm x 17cm baking pan lined with baking parchment across the base and up the sides.

Ingredients
6oz/160g plain flour
2oz/50g cocoa
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2oz/50g butter - melted
4oz/100g granulated sugar
4oz/100g soft brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 medium courgette/zucchini - unpeeled, finely grated
4oz/100g dark chocolate chips

Method

• Preheat oven to 180/160 fan/350°F.
• In a large bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, stir together melted butter, sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla until smooth. 
• Add the wet ingredients and the zucchini to the dry ingredients and stir by hand until almost combined. 
• Add chocolate chips and gently stir in.
• Spoon into the lined pan and spread out evenly. 
• Bake for 20–30 minutes or until the edges are slightly springy but the centre is still squidgy when pressed.
• Leave to cool completely in the pan before turning out or.... if you really can't bear to wait, slice them up whilst still in the pan and see how many you can stuff in your face before you get caught.

EAT