Recipe of the month
Chocolate brownie and the nut debateI just love chocolate brownies. This recipe is dark, chewy, and very sophisticated. Dark chocolate with the crunch of nut, lashings of cream and local sweet Scottish raspberries - just wonderful!
The kitchen team are in full debate about the nut that should be used for the brownie. I like pecans, but they say that it should be walnuts, and that pecans are very American. They should not, therefore, be "allowed" on a traditional English dessert menu. In the true tradition of all things chefy, they came to the conclusion that walnuts should be used, because "brownies are always made with walnuts".
They have a point! But, surely, this should be about taste. Also, the brownie is a very American dessert, and therefore should only be made with pecans. To settle the argument, we make both. I love the pecans with the bitter sweat flavour of the dark chocolate, but the walnut brings something else to the brownie. A lighter flavour, more English, more gay 1920s. The pecan is confident, bold, and makes a statement. "Honey, I know I go with dark chocolate!"
What a wonderful excuse to make chocolate brownies, and try both!
Chocolate Fudge Brownies
Makes 20
Oven 170c/325F/gas mark 3
280g/10 oz dark chocolate
200g/7oz unsalted butter
280g/10 oz soft dark brown sugar
3 large eggs
2 Vanilla pods
80g/2 3/4oz plain four
1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
A pinch of salt
200g/7oz pecan nuts OR walnuts
Melt half the chocolate in a glass bowl over simmering water making sure that the water does not touch the bowl. Whisk the eggs and sugar until pale, fluffy and double in size. Add the seeds from the vanilla pod and stir. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt and fold into the egg mixture. Melt the butter and add to the mixture together with the chocolate. Finally add the nuts - whichever you decide - and the remaining chocolate. Pour into a 8 x 12 inch/20 x 30 cm lined baking tray, 2.5cm or 1 inch deep and bake in the centre of the oven for 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool then cut into squares.