Reindeer Brownies

Preheat the oven to 180°C/ 160°C Fan/Gas Mark 4. Grease and line a 20x30cm rectangle baking tin. Break the Chocolate into pieces and place in a microwavable bowl, add the butter. Melt the chocolate and butter in the microwave in 30 second bursts, stirring between each burst until the mixture is melted.

Add the sugar into the melted mixture and beat until smooth and the sugar is combined. 

Add the eggs and Vanilla Extract into the mixture and whisk on a high speed for 2-3 minutes, this is easiest to do with a freestanding or hand whisk. It is whisking in the eggs really well that gives the brownie the paper top.

Sieve the flour and Cocoa Powder onto the top of the mixture and fold through until just combined. Finally pop in the Chocolate Chunks and crushed pretzels and fold through.

Pour half the mixture into the prepared tin and smooth to cover the base of the tin. Dollop over the caramel and then top with the remaining mixture and smooth. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until the edges of the brownie are firm and the middle has a very slight wobble. Leave the brownie to cool in the tin, it’ll firm up as it cools. 

Whilst your brownies are cooling, melt the Milk Chocolate in the microwave in 30 second bursts stirring between each burst until your chocolate is smooth and melted.

Dip 32 pretzels (2 per reindeer brownie), into the melted chocolate and pop onto a lined baking tray to set. Spoon or pipe 16 blobs of Chocolate onto another lined baking tray. Pop the baking tray into the fridge to let the chocolate set.

Roll 32 small balls of White Fondant and flatten slightly, these are the reindeer’s eyes. Roll 32 smaller black fondant balls and pop onto the white fondant to finish the eyes and set aside for later. 

Finally roll 16 red fondant reindeer noses and set aside.      

Once the brownie is cooled, slice in half length ways and then cut into triangle, you should end up with 14-16 triangles (with a few excess edges to nibble on).  

Use the left over melted chocolate (melt it back down in the microwave again as you did before) to stick the eyes on the brownies. Stick on the chocolate circle onto the base of the triangle and stick the red fondant ball on top. 

Finally stick the pretzels into the top of the brownies for the antlers. Your festive, fun reindeer brownies are now ready to tuck into and enjoy!