Gluten-Free Salted Peanut Butter Brownies

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/Gas 4. Line an 8-inch square baking dish (or its equivalent) with greaseproof paper.
2. Mix the 2 tbsp of milled flax seed together with 6 tbsp of water and set aside. This is your flax egg.
3. Place a small bowl over a pan of simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn't touch the water.
4. Add half the chopped chocolate and gently melt, making sure it doesn't get too hot (as it might split). Set aside.
5. Whisk together the oil and sugar in a large bowl – you might want to use an electric whisk for this. Add the flax eggs and vanilla extract, and whisk again until well combined.
6. Gradually add the melted chocolate, whisking continuously.
7. Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and cacao powder into a separate bowl, and stir to combine.
8. Gently fold the flour mix into the wet ingredients, being careful not to overwork the batter. Finish by adding the reserved chopped chocolate and half the peanut butter, in dollops.
9. Fold them in, without completely combining – you want to be able to see swirls of peanut butter through your brownies.
10. Empty the batter into the prepared tin, and even out the top. Add the remaining peanut butter in dollops and roughly swirl, pushing it into the batter.
11. Sprinkle over the roughly chopped peanuts, and bake your brownies for 30-40 mins. They're ready when they've risen slightly, and a crust has formed on top. There will still be a significant wobble, but don't worry: the brownies will firm up as they cool.
12. Allow the brownies cool completely before cutting them into squares. You can serve them warm, which is delicious, but you might need a spoon to eat them!