Irish Coffee Brownie Cake

This recipe was caused by the combination of a craving for brownies while watching a film with a friend and sipping on a whiskey. The combination is delicious, with the whiskey providing a slight vanilla note and working really well with the coffee to bring out the richness of the chocolate!

Makes 1 cake (serves 12)

For the batter

100g plain flour

10g instant coffee powder (fine)

40g cocoa powder

1 tsp salt

200g white caster sugar

125g butter

3 tsp vanilla extract

3 shots of whiskey (I used bourbon as I had run out of Irish whiskey, anything smooth and sweet is great, avoid too high percentage or too peaty a whiskey)

2 large eggs

100g milk chocolate

75g dark chocolate (I personally like using salted caramel dark chocolate, Aldi do a great one)

A splash of milk

To add to the batter

50g milk chocolate

75g dark chocolate (again I like the salted caramel one)

Method

1. Mix together the plain flour, instant coffee powder, cocoa powder and salt in a bowl.

2. In another bowl cream together the white sugar, butter, vanilla extract and whiskey using the back of a spoon, or a whisk if you are in a hurry (I often cheat and use a whisk).

3. Crack two large eggs into the sugar and butter mix and beat or whisk until smooth and pale.

4. Next melt together the 100g of milk chocolate and 75g dark chocolate in a bowl in the microwave. Do it in small intervals as to not burn the chocolate. Once combined leave to cool for a couple minutes then slowly add it to the egg and butter mix, whisking as you do so as to not scramble the eggs. Once a small amount has combined you can pour faster as the eggs will now be tempered and they will be much less likely to scramble.

5. Once these two are combined, slowly add this mix to the flour mix stirring until combined. Add a splash of milk, stir and then leave the batter to cool for a couple minutes.

6. Next chop up the remaining milk and dark chocolate into small shards, and then stir them into the batter. Then grease and line a 8 inch springform deep cake tin and pour in the batter.

7. Place the batter into the fridge to allow the flavours to combine. While this occurs preheat the oven to 180C fan/ 200C conventional.

8. Once the oven is preheated take the tin out of the fridge and place in the oven. Bake the brownies for 40-45 minutes, or until a skewer comes out of the centre fairly clean (a lot of people say dry but this often results in very dry brownies, so look for some slight crumbs as well as thickened mix on the skewer and this usually means the brownies will be done).

9. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for at least 30 minutes. Run a knife round the outside of the tin, then undo the springform clasp. Take off the outside of the tin and leave to cool for another 15 minutes. Cut into the brownie, it should have a crust at the edge and top and bottom, and a lovely gooey centre! Enjoy as they are or with a scoop of your favourite ice cream!

Signed A Shipwrecked Coffee Addict