Crinkle Top Eggless Brownie

The crackly, glossy crust of a good brownie usually depends on eggs and sugar being beaten together. In an eggless version, we get the same effect by whisking the sugar vigorously into warm melted chocolate and butter until a shiny, thick batter forms. Curd and milk provide moisture, and a small amount of flour keeps the centre fudgy. Do not overbake: the brownies should look slightly underdone in the centre when they come out and will set as they cool.

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180 C. Grease a 7-inch square tin and line it with butter paper, leaving some overhang on two sides.
2. Melt the chocolate and butter together in a bowl over a pan of simmering water, stirring until smooth. Remove and cool for 5 minutes; it should be warm, not hot.
3. Add the powdered sugar to the warm chocolate and whisk vigorously for 2 minutes, until the mixture looks glossy and thick.
4. Whisk in the curd, milk and vanilla until smooth.
5. Sift the maida, cocoa, baking powder and salt over the batter and fold gently until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips or nuts.
6. Spread the batter evenly in the tin and bake for 25-28 minutes. The top should look set and crinkly, and a skewer should come out with a few moist crumbs.
7. Cool in the tin for at least 1 hour; the brownies firm up as they cool. Lift out using the paper and cut into squares with a hot knife.

What to serve it with

Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce, or at room temperature with tea.

Storage

Keep in an airtight box at room temperature for 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days. Warm briefly before serving.

Variations

• Swirl 2 tbsp peanut butter over the batter before baking.
• Top with chopped walnuts and a pinch of sea salt.
• Use milk chocolate chips along with dark chocolate for a sweeter brownie.

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Recipe by Chef Purna Shah. More videos on YouTube and Instagram.