Serves 6 (depending on how much you want to eat!)
Ingredients:
- Oil spray, for greasing
- 270 g (9½ oz) 60% dark chocolate
- 250 g (9 oz) unsalted butter
- 240 g (8½ oz) muscovado sugar
- 2 pinches of salt
- 4 eggs
- 60 g (2¼ oz) plain (all-purpose) flour
- 80 g (2¾ oz) dark cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 50 g (1¾ oz) roasted hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
- 50 g (1¾ oz) slivered pistachios
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F). Line a 15 x 30 cm (6 x 12 inch) cake tin with baking paper and spray with oil.
- Combine the chocolate, butter, muscovado sugar and salt in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and stir occasionally until melted. Remove from the heat and whisk in the eggs.
- Sift the flour, cocoa and baking powder onto the chocolate mixture and fold until a batter is formed. Fold half of the hazelnuts and pistachios into the batter.
- Spoon the batter into the tin and smooth the top. Scatter the remaining hazelnuts and pistachios over the batter in an even layer. Bake the brownie for 15–20 minutes. The centre will still be quite soft but will set once it cools (the brownie should be moist and fudgy – if it’s too crumbly, it has been overcooked). Remove from the oven and set aside to cool to room temperature.
- Remove the brownie from the tin and cut it into slices. Serve it to your loved ones… or love yourself and dig in! The brownie is best when warmed a little in the microwave and served with a scoop of your favourite ice cream.
Smart Tip:
You can have fun with this recipe and substitute ingredients – use palm sugar or brown sugar and try different blends of good-quality couverture chocolate, which is the key to an amazing brownie. Or replace the plain flour with coconut flour or another gluten-free alternative. Add some spices or even brown the butter before mixing it with the chocolate.
Images and text from The Dessert Game by Reynold Poernomo, photography by Jeremy Simons. Murdoch Books RRP $36.99 AUD or $42.99 NZD.
