The last brownie

Notting Hill

"Just going to the kitchen to get some food, then I'm going to tell you a story that will make your balls shrink to the size of raisins."

Chocolate brownies

It was so wrong on so many levels but the character from Notting Hill that I really wanted to spend an evening with was Spike. I know, I know, those underpants, but I am certain the banter would have been so good. Does that qualify me for the last brownie? You remember the scene. The last brownie is offered by Tim McInnery for the dinner party guest that can prove they are the saddest act at the table. I'm not going to suggest you do this at your next soiree, although it is probably preferable to drunken arm wrestling or even worse a Dad dance off on Wii Just Dance. I'd suggest you make twice as many as you think you might need and then seconds can be had all round - unless of course competitive soul searching is your cabaret of choice.

Mise en scene

50g dark chocolate

110g unsalted butter

135g caster sugar

1tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

50g self raising flour

1 heaped tablespoon cocoa

pinch salt

50g chocolate chips (peanut butter chips are good too)

2 small bars caramel filled chocolate - chopped (you could use 2 rolls of Rolos)

1 6" x 10" tin lined with baking parchment

It's all in the edit

• Preheat the oven to 190C
• Remove any greying underpants from the kitchen and their wearers if you need to.
• Melt the butter in a pan and add in the dark chocolate. Allow to melt together slowly. Take the pan from the heat so that the chocolate doesn't seize.
• Give the butter and chocolate a good stir and add in the sugar and vanilla and combine well.
• Add in the eggs one by one and beat well.
• Change spoons to a metal spoon. Tip the flour, cocoa, chopped chocolate and any chocolate chips in the bowl. Add in the salt.
• Fold in gently, be careful not to overwork the mixture.
• Scrape into the tin and bake for 25 minutes.
• This is the hard bit but you must leave the brownie to rest for about 10 minutes.
• Find a world famous actress, ask her to dinner and subject her to soul searching questions and express surprise when she bares her soul to complete strangers.

Voiceover

Serve with very good vanilla ice cream, thick double cream or my personal favourite creme fraiche. That is very Delia I know but the tang of the soured cream cuts the tooth aching sweetness of the brownie. Yes, I know yoghurt would do a similar thing but yoghurt is far too healthy to spoon over brownies!