Wednesday 15 February 2012

Flourless Chocolate Brownies



As a couple, Ben and I don't really buy into the crazy commercialism that Valentines Day has now transpired to, however, I do like the idea of having a particular reason to to do something a little bit special for my love.  So alas, we spent our Valentines evening with a pizza, a few more episodes of Forbrydelsen II (The Killing - Danish version - first season totally awesome, 2nd i'm not so sure...) and as a bit of a surprise, I whipped up these bad boys whilst Ben was out on his run - what more to bring out a touch of romance than wallking into a house smelling of chocolatey baking goodness?

I particularly chose this recipe as it's flourless (ie gluten free) - which as a rule, anything that is "flourless/gluten free" is then loaded up with another poison - Sugar (we'll save that for another blog post shall we!)...  So it went well with my "Gluten Free" Hell Pizza!

This recipe should come with a warning (but in hindsight, knowing it was a Nigella recipe, I should have known it would be nothing but rich and over the top), it is seriously delicious, but you really don't need to be eating a whole lot in one sitting!

And of course, I totally didn't think to take my own photos, so you will have to make do with the delicious one above :)

I'm also giving you the link to the much prettier version of the recipe on Nigella's website.  NB. I also made the chocolate sauce, but was so unimpressed with it that I don't feel it warrants including in this recipe - all you need is a nice scoop of your favourate vanilla icecream!

INGREDIENTS

225g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids)

225g butter

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

200g caster sugar

3 eggs, beaten

150g ground almonds

100g chopped walnuts



METHOD

Preheat the oven to 170°C/gas mark 3. Melt the chocolate and butter gently over a low heat in a heavy-based saucepan. 

Take the pan off the heat, mix in the vanilla and sugar, and let it cool a little. 


Beat the eggs into the pan along with the ground almonds and chopped walnuts. Turn into a 24cm square baking tin or, most sensibly, use a foil one. 


Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes, by which time the top will have set but the mixture will still be gooey. Once cooler, cut carefully, four down, four across, into 16 squidgybellied squares.

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