My best friend turned vegan quite a while back, and I think I found it harder to adjust to than she did. I hate the feeling of restriction when it comes to food. Whilst I realise there is an abundance of vegan food which can be enjoyed, and which my meat eating self often prepares and enjoys, I always feel as though a compromise has been made, or something is lacking.
I baked using this recipe in order to cater for some vegans at a party we were hosting. I think, regardless of it being vegan, vegetarian, anything, it will now be my go-to brownie recipe. This richly moist, deeply chocolatey bake is from the good people at the Soho restaurant, Mildreds. I ate at this colourful place about a year back, with two friends, who are vegetarian, and vegan. Perhaps for the first time ever, as a meat eater at a vegetarian restaurant, I didn’t feel as though the substitutes were awkward, or that my plate was lacking in some way.
Mildreds chef, Sarah Wasserman, said about the restaurant, “although we cater for a wide range of vegetarian diets, nothing is on the menu simply because it fits a particular dietary choice – everything is there on merit. So, if we put a new brownie on the menu it’s because we think it’s a brilliant brownie.”
Here is one such brilliant brownie recipe from the Mildreds team, as I make it. I think I will continue to make it time and time again. It’s so simple. Don’t let the fact it’s from a restaurant menu deceive you.
RECIPE
300g plain flour (gluten free works fine, if you would like to use it)
240g dark brown soft sugar
240g light brown soft sugar
120g cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
150g good quality chunky peanut butter
225ml water
225ml vegetable oil
2 tbsp vanilla extract
60g dark chocolate, chopped into small chunks
Preheat the oven to 170 degrees.
Mix the dry ingredients together, breaking up any lumps as you go.
Add the wet ingredients, along with one heaped tbsp of the peanut butter.
Beat with a whisk, for 2/3 minutes, til thoroughly combined. It should look thick, dark and glossy, with the occasional chunk of peanut popping through.
Line a 20cm x 30cm baking tine with baking parchment and spread the thick misture into it. You’ll need a spatula or the back of a spoon to flatten it out, as it should be quite firm and stiff.
Spread the remaining peanut butter over the top. Make a mess. Pretend you’re Jackson Pollock. You could use a piping bag, as Mildreds suggest, but I prefer the spoon flick method. Much more tactile, and satisfying.
Bake for 45-50 minutes, until firm-ish, in the centre. Leave to cool – I’d wait at least 10 minutes before removing from the tin. They will smell amazing, and taste nice, but these are perhaps the only brownie I have eaten which is 100% better when eaten cold or at room temperature.
This makes a good match of 12 large brownies. They’re pretty rich, so you may want to cut them up into even more portions. Share with your friends, vegan and non-vegan alike. These are a real people pleaser!
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