May I present to you a plate of my engagement brownies?
No, silly. These are not “my engagement” brownies. These are my “engagement brownies”.
See the subtle difference there?
Let me phrase this another way:
No matter how often I start singing “Matchmaker” from Fiddler on the Roof upon entering my parents’ house, they still haven’t arranged a marriage for me.
Sheesh. It’s like they think we’re living in the 21st century or something, and that such a huge decision should be up to me. I know, right? Craziness.
But that’s enough about my love life.
I made these brownies as part of an engagement present for my dear friend Ash, who turns out to have good taste in not only television shows but men. I told her I’d bake her a batch of anything she wanted, and she picked straight-up-and-rich-if-you-please chocolate brownies.
I’m pretty sure this recipe fit the bill.
Congratulations again, Ash and Andrew. You’re both wonderful.
Fudge “Engagement” Brownies
From Brownies, Fudges and Toppings
Makes 16
- 150g butter
- 200g dark chocolate
- 2/4 cup (185g) caster sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 1cup (125g) plain flour, sifted.
1. Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease a 20cm (8 inch) square tin with butter and line the base with baking paper.
2. Melt the butter, chocolate, and sugar in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water, stirring occasionally. (Make sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water below.) Remove from heat.
3. Beat in the eggs and vanilla, then fold in the sifted flour. Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 25-30 minutes. (Note: The original recipe said 35 minutes, which I steadfastly counsel against. I did mine for 28 minutes, and wouldn’t really want to do any longer.)
4. Remove from the oven and cool in tin before turning out and giving to your newly-engaged-and-glowing friend.
{ 68 comments… read them below or add one }
And where, pray, is my share?
First comment. Now that’s a first!
Well, dad, I would’ve happily made you engagement brownies too, but you hadn’t got around to creating me at that point in time.
You’d best be careful.. you might start a spate of hasty rushed engagements by your friends, in their quest to get their hands and bellies on more brownies. There will be a huge spike in engagements around Canberra. Statisticians will be scratching their collective heads. Newsagencies will run out of engagement cards. Disaster!
Conor, you’re right! Although if people I know do start hooking up for no reason other than getting me to make them delicious baked goods, I’ll probably soon get to start making divorce tarts too…
Ooooh, divorce tarts. They would be chocolate tarts, with super bitter chocolate and an almost-too-hard shell so you really have to stab them with your fork. Your special stabbing fork.
So now we have a special stabbing fork, a pocket spoon, and pilfering fork… when are we going to open our Conniving Cutlery business, Conor? I think it will go gangbusters. GANGBUSTERS I SAY.
Those look like they are smack between fudgy and cakey. Win.
I hope Ash thought so too!
Ummm, I want some brownies! I have a box of no-pudge fudge brownies in my cabinet, perhaps I will bake them up tonight! (You only add yogurt to the mix, apparently) I’ve never made them before, they were an impulse purchase, but now I have a brownie craving!
I think I tried those brownies when I lived in the states, although I only ever made the single serving version. It was always a novelty for me, because brownies are so easy to whip up from scratch
Ash also has good taste in baked goods. Brownies are tops.
Congrats to her and major props to you, the awesome friend who bakes awesome things.
Thank you Ali
Brownies are most certainly tops!
whoaaaaa!!!!!!!! the moment I saw the photo it was like–WHOA. No words to describe it really haha! That’s so sweet of you Hannah! For a second I thought they were for MOI ^.~*
Oops! I’m sorry Ellie! These can be for you too, in the metaphorical sense
Oh my golly, these are seriously gorgeous! Love them!
Thank you Rach!
How delightful! I wonder how they would work with GF flour?
Only one way to find out
what a thoughtful gift! they look deeelicious!
Thanks!
I don’t know anyone that’s engaged, so I guess I will just HAVE to make these for myself
What a shame!
Yum, yum, yum!!! Looks like a great gift to me!
I haven’t had a brownie in awhile. Maybe I will ask my husband to make these for me
I think that sounds like a brilliant idea. What are husbands for, but to make brownies?
If people are engaged, they surely don’t deserve brownies… I think you should save this for your single friends.
(Doh, just talked myself out of a brownie!)
I like your logic, BFF. But you do realise you just tacitly gave me permission to bake and eat another batch of brownies all by myself, right?
Any dessert with chocolate in it is the best! I love brownies too.
Brownies are awesome. So quick and easy and chocolatey
Ha, I love Fiddler on the Roof! These look easy and delicious. From the looks of your blog, I take it you love chocolate and you MUST try the over the top fudge brownies I’ve made a couple of times. People go nuts for them. Definitely not like this easy recipe though, I will put this on my list!
Fiddler is wonderful
Ooh, I’ll have to search your blog for your fudge brownie recipe, and keep my fingers crossed that someone else I know gets engaged soon 
You should put a plastic ring in the middle like they do for King Cakes from MArdis Gras.
hehe
Maybe they’d start to get the picture then
Haha! Brilliant idea. Mum, are you reading?
Lovely, what a sweet
present! I say keep singing “Matchmaker” – it’s catchy. I can only imagine what kind of sweet treat you shall make when it is indeed YOUR engagement? Come to think of it, I never got any brownies…where are my baked goods! 
Heidi xo
Heidi, I would bake a dozen goodies for you in only we lived in the same city!
And never fear, I shall always keep singing 
awe how sweet! I was mainly, though, lamenting the fact that my friends here appear to be non-bakers! No brownies in sight
not true actually, I do have one friend who bakes for me 
One friend who bakes is all you need, really. Otherwise you risk cake coming out of your ears
Aww you’re such a nice friend! Now why didn’t I get any engagement brownies when I got engaged? Oh that’s right, I didn’t know you sweet Hannah yet! Hehe not that you are ever obliged to bake me anything!
Thank you Lorraine – your comment makes me feel all happy inside
And you know I’d love to bake for you forever and ever – stupid geography! 
How nice of you to make these delicious, decadent brownies for your friend. And congrats to her and her fiance.
Thanks Joyti! Hopefully Ash will read this and see your congratulations
Just for the record… if I ever get engaged, I want brownies too. Oh, and nut butters lovingly made in your fancy mixer
Ask and ye shall receive… after you’re engaged and have sent me the invite to your crazy penguin Russian wedding.
I love how simple and straightforward this recipe is. Yay for your friend, lucky to have a brownie-making friend like you!
I love that about brownies – it’s almost impossible to find a tricky or complex recipe for them, and yet they always turn out so darn good
Mmm, brownies. I share your sentiments – my parents were talking about setting someone up a few years ago and I was quite indignant that they were matchmaking other people before taking care of their daughter! Hmmph. Anyway now I have someone, but no thanks to them!
Gosh, both our sets of parents have clearly got their priorities all wrong! Whatever shall we do with them?! At least it worked out well for you
part of an engagement present – sounds interesting – I think the world would be a nice place if people gave brownies as gifts more
A nicer and sweeter place, for sure!
(Personally, I’d like some homemade granola and nut butters…)
See now I reckon these are the kind of brownies that could lead to an engagement. Isn’t the way to a man’s heart through his stomach?
Helen, I like the way you think. Now I just need to find a man to bake brownies for…
They look delicious! Definitely engaging
Teehee, nice one
Sugaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrr! Yum.
Sometimes we all just need a little brownie love, ya know? Happy engagement!!! Even thought it’s not yours…
Teehee, thanks, I shall pass on the congratulations to my friend
And yes, sugar is awesome.
You can’t go wrong with giving brownies to people. I think everyone I know loves brownies!
Absolutely! And luckily there are even people in my life who like my raw brownies
Subtle difference, totally different meaning! Definitely brownie awesomeness in either case, though!
Thanks Kath. Life is sometimes about looking for the silver lining when such subtle differences exist
For me, the good part was being able to bake brownies!
best. present. ever!
I hope Ash thought so!
Almost worth getting engaged for…!
Teehee! Well, you know I’m here if you ever decide it’s more than “almost”
Hannah, i am stealing this recipe!! love how simple it is. what kind of chocolate did you use?
Simple is best when it comes to brownies, in my opinion
I used a 70% cooking chocolate, Angela. But I’m sure it would be fine with something sweeter too!
Oh that is so sweet and those look simply decadent! Considering your love of chocolate, I think engagement fudge or simply an engagement tower of chocolate bars would be even more appropriate when your big day arrives.
Aw, Alisa. Thank you. If only such a big day didn’t feel so impossible! Luckily I can make myself chocolate fudge anyway
I demand that you bake me brownies (or anything really!) when I get engaged!
Your wish is my command! Simply buy me a ticket to Melbourne when the engagement happens, and I’ll arrive quicksmart, brownies in hand