Weave the brownie magic

Schools have reopened and it is time again to decide what to pack into your child's lunchbox.

Of course, that will depend on how old he or she is and what he or she likes to eat but the point to remember is nutrition and variety.

If you pack a stodgy meal every day, your child's health will suffer. Similarly, if it is the same sandwich, hot dog or paratha every day, rest assured it will not be eaten.

Along with packing a nutritious lunch for your child, remember to put in a small treat with it too.

It could be anything — a cupcake, a favourite biscuit or a brownie. These are all-time favourites and come in many varieties.

Also, if you bake them in a batch, you can freeze some for later use.

They can also come in quite handy when friends drop in for that surprise cup of tea or coffee.

Chocolate-chip brownies

• 75g flour, self-raising
• 100g chocolate chips
• 100g butter
• 200g sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 100g pecans, chopped
• A pinch of salt

Mix the flour and salt. In a double boiler, melt the butter over low heat, take half the chocolate chips and stir till smooth; take out and set aside.

Butter a 27x17cm baking tin, dust with flour, turn upside down and shake to remove extra flour.

In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar till light and fluffy.

Beat in the eggs one by one and stir in the melted chocolate and vanilla essence.

Fold in the sifted flour and pour into the prepared cake tin. Sprinkle the rest of the chocolate chips.

Bake in a preheated oven at 170°C for about 25 minutes (the edges will pull away slightly from the pan) and cool on a wire rack for a few minutes; cut into squares.

Wait till completely cold and then remove from pan.

Marble brownies

• 150g flour, self-raising
• 75g cream cheese
• 150g butter
• 200g sugar
• 3 eggs
• 100g dark chocolate, plain
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 50g walnut, chopped

Sift the flour and keep aside. Butter and dust with flour a 27x17cm baking tin.

In a small mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese, 25g butter and 25g sugar till light. Add 1 egg, beat well; add 2 tablespoons of flour and keep aside.

Break the chocolate into small pieces, add the butter and place in a double boiler. Place over low heat and stir till melted.

Remove from heat, add the rest of the sugar, whisk in the eggs and finally fold in the flour, vanilla essence and walnuts.

Spread half the chocolate batter in the pan, top with the cream mixture, spoon in the remaining chocolate and run a knife in a zigzag pattern to marble.

Bake in a preheated oven at 170°C for 30 to 35 minutes, cool on a wire rack and cut into squares.

Butterscotch squares

• 100g flour, self-raising
• 100g butter
• 170g brown sugar, soft
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 1 packet (about 100g) chocolate chips
• 75g walnut, chopped

Preheat oven to 170°C. Butter and dust a 27x13 cm cake pan with flour. Sift flour and keep aside.

Melt the butter over low heat, stir in the sugar and mix. Take off heat and pour into mixing bowl.

When cool, beat in the eggs one by one, beating well after each addition.

Stir in the vanilla essence and fold in the flour.
Add half the chocolate chips and all the walnuts; pour into the prepared pan and smooth the surface. Sprinkle in the remaining chocolate chips.

Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes and cool on wire rack. Cut into squares.

Mocha squares

• 1 tsp instant-coffee powder
• 1 packet chocolate chips
• 100g butter
• 175g brown sugar, soft
• 2 eggs
• 85g flour, self-raising
• 75g walnut, chopped
• Icing
• 1/2 tsp coffee powder
• 75g icing sugar

Butter and flour a 27x17cm cake pan. In a small bowl, dissolve the coffee powder in 1 tablespoon boiling water; add the chocolate chips and butter.

Place the bowl over hot water and stir till the chocolate and butter have melted; remove from heat.

Stir the sugar into this and beat in the eggs one by one. Sift in the flour and fold in.

Lastly, add the walnuts. Pour the mixture into a cake pan and bake for about 25 minutes till done. Cool slightly on a wire rack.

For the icing: Mix the coffee powder in 1 tablespoon boiling water. Stir in icing sugar to make a runny icing. Drizzle over the brownies and cool. Cut into squares.

— Nirmal Khanna is a UAE-based freelance writer who has family, friends and guests eating out of her hands