I love this recipe as it can be eaten as a cake along with a tea or coffee or you can turn it into a lovely dessert by adding the pears and salted caramel sauce.  The other thing which is great is the ease with which the caramel sauce can be made.

Ingredients

200g dark chocolate

125g butter

3 eggs

200g caster sugar

25g cocoa powder

100g self-raising flour

6 tbsp smooth peanut butter

For the salted caramel sauce (optional)

60g muscovado sugar

100 ml double cream

Tin of pears to serve (optional)

Method

1. Heat oven to 180 degrees and line a 20cm square baking tin with parchment paper
2. Melt the butter and chocolate in a heat proof bowl over a pot of simmering water
3. In a large bowl beat together the eggs and sugar for 3 minutes until light and fluffy
4. Sift the cocoa powder over the egg mix then stir in the flour until well mixed
5. Spoon half the mixture into the prepared tin then dot the peanut then cover with the remaining chocolate mixture
6. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes until set and slightly cracked
7. Leave to cool in the tin
8. If making the sauce (which I would highly recommend), put the sugar and cream in a pot and bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer, stirring until you have a thick toffee sauce – finally add a pinch of sea salt
9. Cut the cooled brownie into squares and serve with toffee sauce and pear if using,