RECIPE | Hot cross brownies

Makes: 18-20

Brownies:

375g butter

450g sugar

175g (350ml) cocoa powder

240g (2 cups) self-raising cake flour

2.5ml (½ tsp) salt

5ml (1 tsp) baking powder

8 eggs, lightly beaten

125ml (½ cup) oil

250ml (1 cup) room-temperature water

500ml (2 cups) salted peanuts and raisins

250ml (1 cup) dark chocolate, broken into pieces

Cross:

30ml (2 tbsp) butter

45ml (3 tbsp) caster sugar

2 eggs

120g (1 cup) self-raising flour

60ml (¼ cup) milk

2.5ml (½ tsp) baking powder

Method:

1. To make the brownies, cream the butter and sugar together in a mixing bowl of an electric mixer.
2. Sift the cocoa, flour, salt and baking powder together in a separate bowl.
3. Add the flour mixture and eggs to the creamed mixture. Mix well and then add the oil and water, together with peanuts and raisins.
4. Scoop into greased muffin pans lined with paper cases.
5. For the crosses, cream the butter and sugar until creamy, then add the remaining ingredients. It should be a fairly thick mixture. Place into a piping bag with a plain nozzle and pipe a cross onto each muffin-style brownie.
6. Bake in a preheated oven at 160°C for about 40 to 50 minutes.

• Recipe by trainee chef Valia Dimitri from the Sense of Taste Chef School in Cape Town.