Catherine Fulvio's Strawberry Brownies

I have approximately 70 strawberry plants in the garden and I'm amazed at what a large crop we had this year. Hence I am constantly in search of recipes which include strawberries. Normally for most deserts strawberries are served cold, but in this recipe, they are cooked with a few extra strawberries served on the side. This is a recipe from the lovely Catherine Fulvio, (Ballyknocken House) which she demonstrated at Taste of Dublin in June. Ballyknocken House is located in Co. Wicklow and offers a large range of cookery classes from Italian cuisine to budget meals. We are especially lucky in Ireland as there so many wonderful cookery classes on offer in so many beautiful locations.

Some of the strawberry pickers at work!

Catherine Fulvio, at Taste Of Dublin, with Jack and my niece Caoimhe.  

Strawberry Brownies

Ingredients

100g butter
3 eggs
150g caster sugar
150g chocolate, broken
100g self-raising flour, sieved
25g walnuts, coarsely chopped
8 strawberries, washed, hulled and roughly chopped
Decoration
30g white chocolate for decorating
12 strawberries for decorating


Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C(fan)/390f/gas mark 6.
2. Grease the base of a 20cm shallow, square cake tin and line with baking parchment.
3. Beat the eggs and sugar with a hand whisk.
4. Melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl over a saucepan of hot water (bain-marie) until smooth. Stir chocolate into the egg mixture.

5. Fold in the flour, nuts and strawberries. Pour into the square cake tin, spreading evenly and bake for 30 - 35 minutes until just set.
6. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out onto wire rack. Take off the parchment paper and cut into 12 squares.