Festive Mince Pie Brownies

Melt the cubed butter and chopped dark chocolate together in a medium heatproof bowl. You can do this in the microwave in 20-second bursts, stirring in between, or by placing the bowl over a pan of gently simmering water (bain-marie). Once smooth, set aside to cool to room temperature.

Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan/gas 4). Line the base and sides of a 20cm square baking tin with non-stick parchment paper. In a separate bowl, sieve together the plain flour and cocoa powder.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs and golden caster sugar. Whisk with an electric hand mixer on high speed for 3 to 8 minutes until the mixture is thick, pale, and creamy. It should reach the 'ribbon stage,' where the batter leaves a visible trail for a few seconds when the beaters are lifted.

Pour the cooled chocolate mixture into the egg mixture. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the two together using a figure-of-eight motion. Be careful not to overwork the batter, as you want to keep as much air in the mixture as possible.

Sift the flour and cocoa mixture into the batter and continue to fold gently until just combined. The mixture will transition from dry and dusty to a thick, fudgy consistency. Stop mixing as soon as no streaks of flour remain.