When it comes to baking there are an endless array of options you can choose to rustle up for a sweet treat, but few that top a delicious chocolate brownie.

Brownies are quick, simple and easy to make as they don’t have many ingredients, but perfecting the gooey centre is something of an art.

The popular chocolate treat can come in a variety of forms, with some being fugdy and gooey in the middle, while others might be less dense with a more cake-like texture.

But if you’re a fan of the wonderfully squidgy kind, then baking legend Dame Mary Berry has shared the one ingredient you need to perfect that gooey centre every time.

According to Berry, light muscovado sugar is the secret to creating that melt-in-your mouth centre that brownies are known for.

The chocolate and butter should be melted first in a bowl until combined, after which you can add in the sugar and eggs until you have a smooth mixture, followed by the flour at the end.

Explaining the simple process on the Food Network, Berry said: “All made in one bowl, this is a no mess, no fuss treat - just pure indulgence.

“Start by mixing 360g of dark chocolate with 225g of butter. Just go on pressing against the side, mixing that until it will run smoothly and it’s got a lovely shine to it. Then add 225g of light muscovado sugar. It’s the perfect sugar to give the brownies a really gooey centre.

“I’ve done a lot of baking in my life and I find it’s the thing I go and do when I’ve got time on my hands, but most importantly of all, if you make good bakes you’re a friend to so many.”

Berry says the self-raising flour must be added at the end because the chocolate needs time to have cooled down, and should be thoroughly mixed in so there are no flecks in the mixture.

The brownies take around 45 minutes to bake and should have a beautifully shiny top with a few cracks, which Berry says are “all part of its charm”.