You can be as creative as you like with them – if you google ‘chocolate brownies’ you get well over 6 million results. But what the internet seemed to be lacking was a website pulling together the best chocolate brownie recipes, testing them out, giving you ideas for how to customise or get creative, and reviewing chocolate brownies in shops, cafes and restaurants all over.

I already run a successful blog, Caroline Makes, which is a mixture of food, drink and crafts – basically, anything I make – along with restaurant and product reviews. I wanted to make my blog more niche, but didn’t want to lose the freedom I have on Caroline Makes to post anything I make, whether it’s a cake, a dessert or a birthday card. So I decided to create this spin-off blog and dedicate it entirely to the wonder that is the chocolate brownie.

 As well as recipes, look out for regular features and chances to get involved. I’d love to hear your comments – let me know what is your tried-and-tested chocolate brownie recipe, or where you’ve eaten the best brownie you’ve ever tasted. And does it make any difference to the taste if you use cheap rather than expensive chocolate in your recipe – or do you use cocoa powder rather than chocolate?

Did you know…

–          Chocolate brownies originated in the United States at the end of the 19^th century?

–          They apparently originated in Chicago where a leading socialite asked a chef to create a dessert similar to cake that ladies could eat from lunchboxes – and the bite-sized treat was born.

–          The first-ever brownies contained walnuts and had an apricot glaze

–          If you google ‘world’s best chocolate brownie’ you get 7.5 million results – so there is obviously some debate!

So welcome to The Brownie Blog – I hope you’ll enjoy it!