The Brownie Diaries: My recipes for happy times, heartbreak and everything in between

Valentine’s Day is perfect for brownies, but so is every other day! This book covers every occasion, from casual to fancy. Brownies (and their chocolate-free sisters, blondies) showcase fillings and toppings such as fruits and nuts, candies and cookie dough, frostings, even popcorn or bacon with maple syrup! There is definitely something for everyone. But the most important part of a brownie is the brownie itself; happily, the simplest, most basic recipe is one you will keep returning to. It results in thick, fudgy, rich, and deeply chocolatey brownies that absolutely satisfy.

This book is written for a UK audience, so US readers may find recipes a little unusual; measurements are given in grams so you’ll want a kitchen scale, and amounts are sized for UK packets (for example, you may be left with an odd couple of tablespoons of butter or chocolate after your bake). Additionally, the suggestion of seventy percent cocoa for most recipes will result in intensely dark brownies; you may want to adjust that percentage to your personal preference.

The range of ideas is wide and it’s all great fun; try several and then use them as a starting point for your own creations.