5 a day chocolate brownies aka the ones with the courgettes

From a recipe adapted from Ottolenghi cookbook (with my own special addition!)

• 100g pecan nuts (bashed)
• 200g unsalted butter
• 280g plain butter
• 300g dark chocolate (Green and Blacks cooking chocolate is ace)
• 2 eggs
• 230g caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• 100g chocolate chips (or I used a Green and Black's chocolate bar bashed up)
• 40g mini marshmallows (I used Dr. Oetker Mini mini marshmallows and they dissolved)
• 300g grated courgette (honest, I'm not kidding, makes the brownies healthy and moist!)
• Tub Betty Crocker Fudge Icing

Brush a baking tin with melted butter (swiss roll tin) and preheat oven to 170 degrees.

Put a pan of water on the hob to boil. Put butter and chocolate in a heatproof glass dish and balance on top of pan of water so water is heating bowl gently, stir from time to time. Keep pan on a low simmer and allow butter and chocolate to melt but not get too hot. Once melted remove bowl from pan.

In large bowl whisk together sugar, eggs and vanilla just until they are combined, then add melted chocolate mix and flour and mix. Finally add all other ingredients nuts, marshmallows, chocolate pieces and courgette (I promise you can't taste the courgette, it dissolves completely and makes the brownies stay really moist) and mix well.

Empty mixture out into tray, bake on centre shelf of oven for about 25mins (don't be afraid to cook for longer), brownie is ready when you put a knife in centre and pull out and some mix is on the knife but it looks a little cooked and not raw. Take out of oven and allow to cool (will keep cooking).

Once cooled spread icing on top (if required), then cut into pieces (I usually do around 18 pieces) and don't tell people they have courgettes in until they have eaten them, then watch their faces!!

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