Recipe - Details - Desserts

American Brownies

These brownies are quick to make in a Kenwood Food Mixer using the whisk attachment. They form a nice crusty top, and depending on the type of chocolate you use, a soft to fudgey centre. They’ll keep several days if stored airtight – but bet they won’t last that long!

Ingredients

• 1 cup fresh New Zealand walnut pieces
• 125g butter, cubed
• 125g dark chocolate
• 2 eggs
• 225g (1 cup) caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 70g (½ cup) plain flour

Method

1. Put walnuts in a shallow ovenproof tray and toast for about 7 minutes in an oven preheated to 180°C, or until the nuts are a pale golden colour. Rub gently to remove as much skin as possible, and fan it away, then coarsely chop the nuts.
2. Put the butter and chocolate in a small saucepan and melt carefully over a very gentle heat. Remove pan from the heat and let mixture cool.
3. Put the eggs in the bowl of a food mixer and beat with the whisk until frothy. Add the sugar by degrees, beating continuously, and continue beating until the mixture is thick and foamy and leaves a trail like a ribbon when the beaters are lifted above the mixture.
4. Add vanilla extract and the chocolate mixture and blend in thoroughly. Sift over the flour and scatter the walnuts over, then fold everything together with a large spoon.
5. Transfer batter to a 20cm square cake tin lined with baking paper. Bake in an oven preheated to 180°C (regular, not fanbake), for about 30 minutes, or until crusty on top. Cool in the tin for 30 minutes. Remove from tin, peel off paper and cool on a rack. Cut into squares and store airtight once cool.

Chocolate Lovers

For many people chocolate is the ultimate food indulgence. Although it’s often associated with guilt, chocolate has had a long history of medicinal use dating back centuries. Food scientists are now starting to understand its complex makeup, and have discovered quality dark chocolate with a high percentage of cocoa solids, has excellent antioxidant properties. That’s good news for chocolate-lovers!

Tips

Chocolate generally melts just below body temperature, but will seize if the applied heat is too high. Melt it carefully in a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (stir frequently and make sure the water or condensation from the steam doesn’t come in contact with the chocolate). In this recipe for American Brownies, put the butter in the pan first, which will offer the chocolate some protection, and stir until melted over a very gentle heat.

The butter and chocolate can be melted in a microwave. Heat the mixture in small bursts, stopping to stir it frequently, until it is about 75% melted. Continue stirring until the remaining chocolate melts in the residual heat.

This recipe is supplied courtesy of Julie Biuso.