This Cacao Pan Brownie recipe is all sorts of right! Brownies are one of the easiest cakes to bake – perfect for those times when you just need a chocolaty treat. We’ve added chia seeds into the mix, although we have to admit the butter and sugar mean this isn’t the healthiest recipe, but we couldn’t resist including it.

Cacao Pan Brownie recipe
Makes 16 brownies

120g butter, plus extra for greasing
250g coconut sugar
80g cacao powder
45g self-raising flour
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
40g chia seeds
1 tablespoon dried rose petals, to serve (optional)
1 tablespoon lime zest, to serve (optional)

Preheat the oven to 160°C (325°F), Gas Mark 3 and line a 20cm square brownie tin with baking paper or butter a nonstick pan.

Melt the butter in a saucepan until it darkens in colour and smells nutty. Mix together the sugar, cacao powder, flour and salt in a large bowl, then slowly pour in the melted butter, whisking to blend. Add the vanilla extract, then whisk in the eggs. Stir in the chia seeds until just combined, and then pour the mixture into the prepared tin.

Bake for 20 minutes, or until a skewer comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached and cracks form across the top. Leave to cool before removing from the tin, scattering over dried rose petals and lime zest, if using, and cutting into squares or slices.

The Cacao Cookbook is published by Aster, £10. Photography by Issy Croker

For more delicious recipes, check these out: Strawberry crumble; Turmeric banana bread and Peanut butter and popcorn cookies.