Paul A. Young Billingtons Simnel Brownie
Over the next few days the newspapers and magazines will be awash with their guides to the perfect Easter chocolate or the best alternative gifts. But I’ll do my thing for the economy now, I’ll save all those journalists some time and just tell you the only thing you need to buy this year to be truly imaginative, is this, the most indulgent chocolate treat there is. The Paul A. Young Billingtons Simnel Brownie.
Paul’s Sea Salt Caramel Egg may be up there too, but this brownie “has it all”. In fact if there was a chocolate equivalent to Cloud Girlfriend where you create your own ideal partner, this would be my choice. For she’s perfect in every kind of way.
Visually this brownie is stunning. It’s got an intensely rich complexion which does give it a homemade, past-times appearance. But it’s the flavour that really knocked me sideways. I went weak at the knees for Paul’s Valentine’s brownie, but I’m in full cardiac arrest with this one.
The richness comes from the Billington’s organic dark unrefined sugar, the golden syrup and unsalted butter, as well as baking it to perfection. It’s moist beyond belief but still has a fantastic structure that doesn’t allow it to crumble or give way as you I know you’ll be tempted to poke and prod it.
The brownie itself very much a slight alcoholic edge which gives it great character, even though sans anything intoxicating other than just a fantastic mix of vine fruits, cinnamon and nutmeg – with the last two being two of my most favourite flavours. At first I thought it’d be quite easy to circumb to the richness part way through, but I actually think the flavours subside enough to allow you to take bite after bite.
The thing is, allegedly Simnel cakes were given on Mothering Sunday (and not Easter), so it’s apt that perhaps should give your mother one of these brownies this Easter – for the tradition of giving Easter eggs is the breaking of lent, and there’s nothing more indulgent than these brownies in the chocolate world. I’m sure she’d appreciate one.
But do you really want to give your mother something this sexy? Perhaps not. Perhaps it should be for your husband or wife; you never know what you might get in return! You best get a few, well it’ll be a long weekend ;-)
If this brownie was a song it’d have to be Cassie: Me And You
