Tony’s Chocolonely Brownies; bricks of fudgey double chocolate brownies studded with chunks of Tony’s Chocolonely creamy milk chocolate.
If a brownie isn’t thick and heavy enough to be mistaken for a building material, I don’t want it.
Luckily for you guys (if you share my affinity for chunky bakes), today’s recipe is a celebration of such brownies. Big, fat, square brownies like the kind you see in cartoons and in movies. Expect a shiny crackled top, and dark depths of fudgey chocolate below.
These brownies were inspired by a rummage in the cupboards. Scottish rain doesn’t encourage one to venture out much, and it only felt on brand to bake up a recipe for this week with whatever I could find. What I did find was just enough ingredients to make a good batch of squidgy brownies, and a forgotten stash of Tony’s Chocolonely bars.
Tony’s Chocolonely is a brand that seems to have burst onto the British chocolate scene over the past couple of years. First starting out as a fresh palate of vibrant colours stacked among the usual purple or brown wrappers on UK supermarket confectionery shelves, these big bars have become a staple in some shops.
You can check out my full review of their chocolate here!
They’ve become famed for their campaigns against other mainstream chocolate brands, and their championing of better ethics in chocolate production. Further to this though, the reason they seem to have fit in so well on these shores is that the chocolate is just, well, good.
While it obviously doesn’t boast the complexity and craftsmanship of independent chocolate makers, it’s a huge step-up in flavour and texture from big brutes like Cadbury and Galaxy. It’s smoother, creamier, more balanced in terms of sweetness, and doesn’t rely on vegetable fats to increase margins. Think of it as a bridge between fast commercial chocolate and the world of fine handmade chocolate, both in flavour and in price.
We always keep a bar or two in our kitchen, of any of the wide range of flavours and types they produce. The sheer size of the chunks that break off from it, in their clever unequal form, are ideal for a quick but satisfying chocolate hit, or for a properly indulgent session.
When grabbing a bar from the cupboard to bake with this week, it felt wrong not to make a recipe that would celebrate this chocolate’s chunky appeal. As such, these Tony’s Chocolonely Brownies were born. Breaking from the usual habit of slicing brownies (or blondies) into slimmer bars before serving, these thick wee beauties seemed perfect to exist in generous squares.
You’ll feel the delicious weight of these Tony’s Chocolonely Brownies as you pick one up. You’ll sink your teeth right into the centre where fudgey brownie and just-set milk chocolate chunks meet. You’ll get an indulgent but balanced dose of richness, of sweetness. You’ll feel the shiny little flakes of the whispering top stick to your top lip as the brownie melts on your palate. You’ll bloody enjoy it, really.
For the melted chocolate base of these brownies, and for the chunks swirled through the batter, you’ll need a couple of bars of Tony’s Chocolonely regular milk chocolate. That said, feel free to experiment with the kind you use for the chunky pieces, their Salted Caramel or Pretzel bar would be delicious too! Aside from the solid chocolate, you’ll need cocoa powder for that double chocolatey hit, and for that I’d recommend no other than Cocoa Runners (use code MaverickBaking10 for 10% off!). Otherwise, do as I did and use whichever branded ingredients you have to hand!
This recipe for Tony’s Chocolonely Brownies is nice and simple to make. It has a slightly longer baking and cooling time than cakes or cookies for example, but it’s so worth the wait. That low, slow bake and cool allows the brownies to set beautifully into the squidgy things you see before you.
I hope you guys love these brownies as much as we do, and I hope you’re all staying as happy and healthy as possible!
Want to save these Tony’s Chocolonely Brownies for later? You can pin the image below!
To make these Tony’s Chocolonely Brownies, simply follow the recipe below:
Ingredients
- 320g (11 ½ oz) Tony’s Chocolonely milk chocolate
- 200g (13 tbsp) butter
- 65g (½ cup) plain flour
- 60g (½ cup) cocoa powder (I use Cocoa Runners’)
- 3 large eggs
- 250g (2 ¼ cups) caster sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat your oven – 160°C / 140°C fan / 325°F / gas mark 3.
- Grease and line a tin to bake the brownies in, both 20x20cm (8x8in) or 20x30cm (8x12in) tins have worked well for me.
- Chop up your butter and 220g of the chocolate and melt together gently in a heatproof bowl either in the microwave or over a pan of simmering water until smooth.
- While the chocolate and butter melt, weigh your flour and cocoa powder into a small bowl.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt until just combined.
- Once melted, pour the butter/chocolate mixture into the bowl of egg mixture and whisk to incorporate.
- Tip in the flour and cocoa mixture and gently fold together with a spoon or spatula until just combined.
- Pour the brownie batter into the prepared tin.
- Break your remaining 100g of chocolate into chunks and scatter them over the batter.
- Bake for 40-50 minutes until the brownies are no longer wobbly and have a nice shiny, crackled top.
- Allow to cool completely, or for at least 50 minutes, before slicing if you can. (This isn’t a quick bake, but it’s so worth it!)
- Enjoy!
BE A MAVERICK: why not try studding the brownies with chunks a different flavoured Tony’s chocolate bar instead?
These Tony’s Chocolonely Brownies will keep well in an airtight container or covered cake stand for up to 4 days. No need to refrigerate unless you live somewhere warm, or prefer cold brownies!
