Zucchini Brownies

• unsalted butter↗200g g

  cut into cubes, plus extra for pan

• plain flour↗120g g
• cocoa powder↗50g g
• dark chocolate↗200g g

  broken into pieces

• eggs↗4
• granulated sugar↗300g g
• zucchini1

  (about 300g), grated

• chocolate chips (milk)↗100g g

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 180 °C/160 °C convection/gas 4. Grease a 30 × 20 cm pan or a deep baking tin with butter and line it with parchment paper. Sift the flour and cocoa into a bowl and set aside.

2. 2

   Melt the butter and dark chocolate together in a heat‑proof bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water, making sure the bowl does not touch the water. Or do it in short bursts in the microwave. After melting, set aside to cool slightly.

3. 3

   Whisk the eggs and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until the mixture becomes thick and its volume doubles (when you lift the whisk, the mixture should form a ribbon that holds for 2‑3 seconds). Gently fold in the melted chocolate mixture, then the flour, followed by the grated zucchini and chocolate chips. Mix gently to retain as much air in the batter as possible.

4. 4

   Pour the batter into the prepared pan, gently smooth the surface with a spatula or palette knife and bake for 20‑30 minutes, or until set – the top should have a glossy crust while the centre remains slightly soft. Let it cool completely in the pan, about 1 hour. Turn out onto a board and cut into 16 pieces. Store in an airtight container for up to five days.