Can I just say that I am utterly and completely addicted to baking these brownies. I can’t count the amount of times I have made them anymore because I genuinely love them that much. They look satisfying, too, with every piece being covered in pretzels, top and bottom, and even with a caramel swirl on top … they are unreal. I sprinkle on extra bits of sea salt because I really do adore the salty crunch, and the thick, chocolatey nature of the base brownie is wonderful.

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 180ºC/160ºC fan and line a 23cm (9in) square cake tin with parchment paper.
• Melt the dark chocolate and butter together in a bowl in the microwave in short bursts, or in a pan over a low heat, then leave to cool for 10 minutes.
• In another bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar together for a few minutes until doubled in volume and mousse-like. Fold through the melted chocolate mix, followed by the flour and cocoa powder.
• Layer pretzels on the bottom of the cake tin and carefully pour over the brownie mix. Swirl through the caramel sauce and sprinkle over some salt. Add a second layer of pretzels on top. Bake for 25–30 minutes until there is a slight wobble in the middle, then leave to cool fully in the tin.
• Set the brownies in the fridge for a couple of hours for a super-fudgy texture.

Notes:

• I use the small crunchy pretzels that you can find in the snack/crisp aisle at the supermarket – the amount you need may vary depending on the size of pretzel.
• You can add chocolate chips to the brownies if you want even more chocolate.
• You can air-fry half of this recipe in an 18cm (7in) square tin for 14–16 minutes at 160ºC.

Recipe extracted from Jane’s Patisserie Classic: Timeless Cakes and Essential Bakes (Ebury)