Use up those leftover Christmas chocolates in these fudgy chocolate brownies!
It hurts my heart to see those abandoned chocolates at the bottom of the chocolate box. Forgotten, unloved, and likely to remain there for at least another month when:
a) They’ll be eaten all in one go by the person who’s been trying to diet all month (that would be me)
Or
b) They'll be chucked away by the ruthless person who is sick of the sight of them cluttering up the sideboard
Well I’m here to give you a third option people!
Unwrap those toffee pennies and the ones in the green wrappers that you don’t really like because the centre just appears to consist of an inferior lump of chocolate compared to the exterior chocolate.
Let’s make brownies!
(for those of you in category 'a' - I’m so sorry. This will likely ruin your diet for a whole week instead of a 10-minute gorging session).
Anything goes in these brownies:
- Ferrero rochers (I know there'll be none of the addictive regular ones left, but those dark chocolate ones....?)
- Lindor chocolate balls - usually all eaten before Christmas even starts! but I did find a couple of those milk and white chocolate ones, and they were amazing in these brownies!)
- Pull-your-fillings out toffees (although they'll still pull your fillings out baked into the brownies)
- I haven't tried it, but I bet After Eights would be amazing too!
I'm even thinking of going Russian Roulette in these things. If I still worked in an office I'd soooo be hiding a black olive in one of them 😀
The Bottom of the Chocolate Box Brownies Recipe:
Bottom of the Chocolate Box Brownies
Ingredients
- 150 g good quality dark chocolate - or dark chocolate chips
- 180 g unsalted butter
- 3 large eggs
- 265 g golden caster sugar
- 60 g plain/all purpose flour
- 40 g cocoa powder
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 60 g ground almonds
- 20 leftover chocolate box sweets - about 180g/6.3oz
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 180c/350f and line a baking tray that's approx. 20cmx30cm and 3cm deep with baking parchment. Leave a little of the parchment overhanging the tray to make it easier to get the brownie out later.
- Melt the dark chocolate and butter together in a bowl over a pan of simmering water (make sure the bowl isn't touching the water though). Or alternatively melt the chocolate in the microwave in 30 second increments, giving it a stir each 30 seconds. Then add the butter for the last 30 seconds to melt. Stir and leave to cool slightly.
- Whisk the eggs and sugar on medium until thick and creamy in a large bowl using a mixer or hand whisk.
- Slowly whisk again, and pour the melted chocolate butter in. Pour it at the side of the bowl in a thin stream, whisking all the time, so that the eggs don't scramble with the warm chocolate.
- When the chocolate is thoroughly mixed in, sieve the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder over the mixture, and then add the ground almonds. Fold into the mix gently, in a figure of eight. This will help to keep the air in.
- Pour the mixture into your baking tray, and use a palette knife to ensure it goes all the way to the edges.
- Arrange the chocolates on top of the brownie mix evenly, so there is 1 piece per portion of brownie. Push the caramel into the mixture slightly and place the tray in the oven.
- Cook for 25 minutes.
- Take out of the oven and leave to cool in the tray. Lift the brownie out of the tray using the baking parchment and place on a chopping board. Use a sharp knife to slice the brownie into portions. It will crumble slightly when you cut it, but it crumbles less, the longer you leave it to cool.
✎ Notes
Nutrition
If you like these you will love my Turkish Delight Brownies!
Pam Bates says
I live in a small village in southern Spain and can’t find ground almonds. What can I use as a substitute?
Steve says
Nearly Easter and I still have some Chocs left from Christmas, now I have found a perfect recipe to use them up.
annie says
Those little navels in the brownies where the chocolates sank in are cracking me up! Cute. My husband and I can be either A or B, depending on the day. And we'd both gladly be C as well. These are extra fun because you can't look at the chocolate box diagram, you just have to take a big bite and guess.
Nicky Corbishley says
ha ha you're right they do look like little navels! I love the guessing game with these brownies - I'm still considering sticking an olive or maybe half a jalapeño in one of the slices 😉
Jesse says
Hi! These brownies look delicious! I don't have access to a caster sugar...any recommendations on a good substitute? Would run of the mill white or brown sugar work? Thanks!
Nicky Corbishley says
Hi Jess, you can swap the caster sugar out for a mix of 3/4 granulated and 1/4 light brown muscavodo sugar. The light brown sugar helps with the fudgy taste but if you don't have it, just go with the granulated sugar, they'll still be yummy.