Who doesn't love a brownie? I've tried a handful of brownie recipes now and have yielded some very different results each time. So far, Donna Hay's recipe seems to be the most liked but quite honestly, I don't think I've come across a bad recipe. Some recipes do use a lot more butter than others and there's those which you'll eat and feel a little bit guilty but at the end of the day, you just need to eat in moderation. This recipe I have for you below is probably one of the less guilty brownies you can bake (yes you can bake your cake and eat it too!)
I'm really loving Linda Collister's 'Cakes and Bakes' - there's so many lovely recipes in this book and as you can see, I have a few bookmarked for the near future! Anyway, this brownie recipe claims to be a more old fashioned recipe using only cocoa and not melted dark chocolate (giving the brownie a much deeper and intense chocolate flavour. Try it out and I'll let you be the judge!)
Preheat oven to 170 degrees. Put 100g walnut pieces in an ovenproof dish and lightly toast in the oven for about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let to cool. Keep the oven on. Break 4 large eggs into a mixing bowl. Mix using an electric beater until frothy, then whisk in 300g caster sugar. Whisk continuously for about a minute and then gradually add in 140g melted unsalted butter in a steady stream. Then whisk in 1/2 tsp vanilla essence.
Sift in 140g plain flour and 75g cocoa powder and fold together the mix. When thoroughly combined, stir in the walnut pieces.
Transfer the mixture to a lined 20x25cm tin and spread evenly.
Bake for about 25 minutes until a skewer inserted comes out just clean. Remove tin from the oven.
Leave to cool completely before removing from the tin. Slice away as you desire.
I'm not usually a big fan of walnut pieces in brownies but I think this recipe could've done more than the 100g. From the cross-section you see above, it looks like there's hardly any at all. With only the cocoa in this recipe to give it's the chocolate flavour, I agree completely that you get a much more intense flavour but it is missing the gooiness which is much to look forward to when you are eating a brownie. On the plus side though, you probably won't be feeling too guilty having a few slices of this, and even a couple more.
There's actually also a soured cream and spice brownie in this cookbook which I have bookmarked to try. I will most certainly report back and let you know how I go!
5 comments:
I quite like walnuts (or any nuts!) in brownies to break up the texture a bit but, like you, I want a slightly fudginess to them. I only need to be mindful when baking for my walnut-allergic friend.
The cake looks so delicious! I'm very envious.
mademoiselle delicieuse - as i get older (unfortunate but true), i find that i'm enjoying nuts and walnuts in particular a lot more and like you say, it does add great texture. ah..but the lovely gooey fudginess - that is a must in a brownie!!
spencer - it was quite yummy! do give the recipe a go and let me know if it works out for you.
I do like a gooey brownie, I mean, if I'm going to be bad and have one, I want one that satisfies the craving.
mashi - good minds think alike!
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