Sunday, September 02, 2007

Darkest Dark Chocolate Brownies

It's due to a bit of misfortune that I was able to make these brownies. You see, the lovely Myriam from the equally lovely, Once Upon a Tart who hosts this event came down with the flu and so had to extend the closing date.

The inspiration for this brownie comes from this chocolate from local chocolatier Monsieur Truffe

100% Venezuela

This is 100% Venezuela and it is not as Paalo thought when he mistakenly took a nibble, just referring to the fact that it is 100% single origin, it is in fact 100% cocoa mass - there are no added sugars or cocoa butter. Yes, it was quite a surprise as he tasted it, though its dark matt form might have given him a clue

100% Venezuela

So with this rather bitter chocolate in my possession I sort to make the ultimate adult brownie, something devilishly dark and more suited to small bites that will accompany the luscious sweetness of an well aged Tokay or Muscat.

I've adapted a really nice brownie recipe found in Jared Ingersoll's Sharing Plates

Brownie Bite

Darkest Dark Chocolate Brownies
[Makes about 10-12 brownie cupcakes]

50 grams melted butter
90 grams caster sugar
75 grams Dark Chocolate (I used 70% Lindt)
1 egg
40 grams plain flour
25 grams Dutch process cocoa
90 grams Macadamia nuts, roasted and then quartered (substitute halved roasted Hazelnuts)
100 grams 100% Venezuela Chocolate, broken into squares

Place the butter in a small pot and melt over a low heat, add the sugar and allow this to dissolve, remove from the heat. Add the dark chocolate and stir well - the chocolate should melt in the residual heat. Set this aside to cool slightly.

Sift the cocoa and the plain flour together into a bowl.

Lightly whisk the egg and add to the flour mixture - stir it through before adding the cooled butter mix. Add the chopped Macadamia nuts and squares of Venezuela Chocolate and mix until it is just combined.

It is going to be quite a chunky mix but what I want are large hits of that pure chocolate through the brownie countered by generous pieces of Macadamia.

Scoop out into cupcake cases - you could bake this as one regular rectangular brownie.

Bake in a °170C/340°F oven for about 15-20 minutes - it will depend on the size you make, so do keep an eye on them.

Let the brownies cool completely before removing them from their cases.

brownie tower

Now, for a special treat because Myriam is such a sweetheart, I made this heart of brownie darkness in honour of her

Brownie Heart

17 comments

  1. oh you always impress! these look amazing. like the photographs too, lovely presentation.

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  2. I love the idea of a heart-shaped brownie. What a beautifully presented little ode to chocolate.

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  3. Oh my, those look sinful. I like that you made them in cupcake form. Will have to try that.

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  4. Paalo is not the only one who thought it was the origin. The brownies, the hazelnuts, the chocolte and the pictures. Everything is just perfect Haalo. Have a good week my dear.

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  5. That is some beautiful chocolate, Haalo - and the brownies look delish!
    I love the heart shaped one.

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  6. Thanks Casey - I haven't had the heart to cut the heart..not yet ;)

    Thanks Kitt - they are quite intense which is the reason I made in the small form, that you can savour them and resist temptation.

    Thanks Rose - have a wonderful week too!

    Thanks Patricia - Mr Truffe does make some lovely chocolate, there is a lot of care there.

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  7. They look so sophisticated! Beautiful job!

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  8. I can't stop drooling :)

    I absolutely LOVE dark chocolate, but the best I've been able to get over here in Perth was 87%-90% mark which was fantastic.

    I'll have to try to get some of that chocolate now to make those awesome brownies.

    I love your site btw. fantastic recipes and the photos make my mouth water every single time.

    - Ben

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  9. Heart-shaped brownies - how completely brilliant! I have never thought of making them in a 'shape' before. Thank you for the idea. These look divine - wickedly dark and decadent.

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  10. Thanks Ben, happy to know you've enjoyed the site - if you love dark chocolate then this would be the ultimate. I hope you find it!

    Thanks Antonia - I've always made them as a slice so this is a first for me too!

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  11. dear Haalo, I'd like to bake this chocolate dream in a tin 32x22cm, is this quantity ok or should I double the ingredients? Many thanks

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  12. Hi Heart - the original recipe which is roughly double of what I have here is for a 18cm square baking tin - you might have to go for 3x or 4x the amounts I have listed. It will depend on how thick you like your brownies.

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  13. thanks haalo for the instant reply:)

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  14. How long can you keep these...do they get better with a little 'maturity' or do they suffer?!

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  15. They don't hang around very long so keeping them hasn't ever been an issue.

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