Cookies and Cream Brownies

 Happy 2018! After a lot little overindulgence during the festive period plenty of folks are jumping on the 'clean' eating, hyper-healthy bandwaggon. Not here at Calamity Kitchen! I made these for a Nasty Women New Year party and oh my dog they are delicious. Ooey gooey and super tasty, these brownies are the perfect mix of soft and crunchy, creamy and chocolatey, brilliant for blowing away the January Blues.

 My megababe mother-in-law always gets me Oreos my Christmas stocking and normally I'd have polished off all five packs by Boxing Day, but this time I thought I'd pace myself. I also had a bottle of Monin Chocolate Cookie coffee syrup in the back of the cupboard, rediscovered when I was looking for vanilla extract, so something really wanted me to make these brownies. Who am I to argue with that?

Makes 12 Brownies

• 120g vegan butter, melted (I use Flora Freedom)
• 2 tbsp ground flaxseed + 75ml water - or other vegan egg replacement equalling 2 eggs.
• 3/4tsp baking powder
• a pinch of salt
• 50g cocoa powder
• 150g brown sugar (I used half regualar granulated white sugar and half Billington's Dark Muscovado Sugar)
• 100g plain flour
• 12 Oreos, crushed
• 1tbsp Chocolate Cookie coffee syrup (optional, sub for 1.5tsp vanilla extract)

Method

1.  Preheat your oven to 175"c (gas mark 4) and line a 26x18cm baking tray with greaseproof paper. In a mug or small bowl combine the flaxseed and water, allow to stand for 5-10 minutes until thickened.
2. Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder and salt, whisk together until evenly mixed. Add the melted butter, flax egg and half of the coffee syrup/vanilla extract and stir to an even batter, making sure there are no lumps.
3. Add half of the crushed Oreos to the batter and pour into the lines baking tray, smoothing with a spatula. Sprinkly the top with the remaining Oreos and coffee syrup.
4. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes (give or take). When the timer goes off, use a cocktail stick or clean, sharp knife to check it's done - if it comes out clean then you're good to go, if not then bake for a further 5 minutes.
5. Leave to cool in the tin before transfering to a cooling wrack. Cut into squares and share them with lovely people, enjoy!