Chocolate Raspberry Brownies

Method

Step 1
Heat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan / gas 4). Line a 20 × 30cm baking tin with baking parchment, making sure it comes up the sides. If you skip this or cut corners, the brownies will stick and you’ll end up digging them out in chunks. Set the tin aside so you’re not scrambling later.

Step 2
Put the dark chocolate, milk chocolate, butter, and sugar into a large saucepan. Melt gently over low heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. You’re aiming for smooth and glossy, not bubbling or sizzling. If it starts smelling toasted or grainy, the heat’s too high—pull it off immediately and stir until it calms down.

Step 3
Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool for a minute or two. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring well after each. The mixture should look thick and shiny. If you dump all the eggs in at once or add them while the mix is screaming hot, you risk scrambling them. If it looks greasy or split, keep stirring—it usually comes back together.

Step 4
Sieve the flour and cocoa powder directly into the pan. Stir gently until just combined. You want no dry pockets, but you do not want to beat this hard. Overmixing here equals tough brownies. The batter should be thick, dark, and slow-moving.

Step 5
Fold in half of the raspberries. Scrape the batter into the lined tin and level it out. Scatter the remaining raspberries over the top, pressing them in slightly so they don’t just sit and burn. Don’t overdo the pressing or they’ll sink completely.

Step 6
Bake on the middle shelf for about 30 minutes. The top should look set with a slight crust, but the middle should still have a gentle wobble. If you want firmer brownies, give it another 5 minutes—no more. Overbaking is the fastest way to ruin them.

Step 7
Remove from the oven and let the brownies cool completely in the tin before slicing. This matters. Cut them hot and they’ll fall apart and seem underbaked even if they’re perfect. Once cool, slice into squares with a sharp knife.