Valentine's Skillet Brownie

Roses are red, violets are blue… but nothing impresses your loved one quite like a dish you've made especially for them. Love goes through the stomach after all—and honestly, that doesn't just apply on Valentine's Day. So save this recipe for any moment when you want to impress… or just fancy something really delicious. You bake this skillet brownie in a cast iron pan for extra crispy edges and a gooey centre that'll melt even the biggest non-romantic's heart.

Serves: 2–4 people
Prep time: 20 minutes
Baking time: 18–22 minutes
Resting time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

Brownie

• 120 g butter (+ extra for greasing)
• 120 g dark chocolate (60–75%), chopped
• 120 g granulated sugar
• 60 g light brown sugar
• 2 eggs (medium)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
  
• 1 pinch of salt
  
• 60 g flour
  
• 25 g cocoa powder (unsweetened)
  
• 80 g chocolate chips or roughly chopped dark chocolate

Cherry heart

• 4–6 tsp cherry jam (preferably thick)
  

To serve

• vanilla ice cream
• extra dark chocolate (shavings or chunks)
  
• optional: a pinch of coarse sea salt

Equipment

• Dutch oven approx. 20–24 cm
  
• Saucepan

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (conventional) or 170°C (fan).
   
2. Put the butter and 120 g dark chocolate in a saucepan and melt over low heat. Stir gently until you have a smooth, glossy mixture. Remove from heat and let cool for 2 minutes.
   
3. Stir the granulated sugar and brown sugar into the chocolate mixture. Add the eggs, along with the vanilla and salt, and stir vigorously until the batter becomes thicker and glossy.
   
4. Sift (or sprinkle) the flour and cocoa powder over the bowl and fold in briefly. Don't mix too long: as soon as it's just combined, stop. Finally, fold in the chocolate chips.
   
5. Lightly grease the Dutch oven with butter. Spoon about ¾ of the batter into the pan and smooth out.
   
6. Spoon 4–6 teaspoons of cherry jam into the centre of the brownie. Spoon the rest of the batter over the top so the jam is hidden. Very gently draw two swirls through the centre with a knife (not too much, you want a real core, not mixed jam).
   
7. Bake the brownie for 18–22 minutes in the middle of the oven.
   The edges should be firm, but the centre can still wobble a little when you gently move the pan. That's exactly what you want: this keeps it fudgy inside.
   
8. Remove the Dutch oven from the oven and let the brownie rest for 10 minutes. The outside will become perfectly chewy while the core stays warm and soft.

To serve

Serve the brownie in the pan (lovely and romantic with two spoons digging straight in).
Finish with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, extra chocolate shavings and optionally a small pinch of coarse sea salt (the salt balances the sweetness and makes it even more delicious)