Walnut and Chocolate Chunk Brownies

Today I made Walnut and Milk Chocolate Chunk Brownies

This is one of my newer Brownie recipes and is quickly growing to be one of my favourites. These Brownies are packed full with Walnuts and large Chocolate Chunks. The mixture is a basic enough brownie recipe with a tonne of add-ins. Some people seem to have problems with Brownies, getting the texture right or getting the right consistency of the mixture or using too little or too much add-ins. The Walnuts not only add a great nutty flavour but also a fantastic texture. The slight crunch is a great contrast to the super soft and squishy texture of the brownie. These are best served warm not long out of the oven but can keep in an air tight container for 3-4 days, if they last in the house that long.

I don't use any Cocoa Powder in this recipe, all the gooey Chocolate-y goodness comes from the melted Chocolate. This keeps the recipe nice and light as there is only a small amount of flour involved. Some Brownies have a tendency to be very dense and stodgy or dry and flaky. These Brownies are rich, moist and packed full of Chocolate-y and nutty flavour. Melting the Butter and Chocolate together and beating the Eggs and Sugar together means there's more Liquid ingredients than Dry Ingredients, this allows the Brownies to stay super moist and just melt in your mouth. You can use any type of nut in this recipe: Hazelnuts, Peanuts or Pecans work well in this recipe also.

Ingredients:

(Makes 12)

• 150g Butter
• 2 Eggs
• 100g Plain Flour
• 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
• 170g Milk Chocolate
• 150g Golden Sugar
• 55g Walnuts

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven 160°C. Lightly Oil a 20" square baking tray.  

2. In a large bowl whisk together the Eggs and the Golden Sugar until light and fluffy. It will start to look airy and will lighten in colour.

3. In another bowl melt the butter and 3/4 of the Chocolate in the microwave. I always use the microwave to melt Chocolate as if you do it on the oven you have to do it oven a pan of boiling water which gives off a lot of steam and during the melting process if any moisture gets into the Chocolate it could ruin the whole batch. 

4. Add the melted Butter and Chocolate into the Eggs and Sugar and mix fully. Then sift the Flour and Baking Powder into the Liquid Ingredients and mix till fully combined. 

5. Chop up the Walnuts and remaining Chocolate and add into the mixture. Stir the add-ins carefully. I normally hold back a small handful of the Walnuts for the top of the mixture.

6. Pour the mixture into your Oiled baking tray and smooth out the top to make sure it's even.  Sprinkle the remaining Walnuts on top of the mixture.

7. Place in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. You know the Brownies are baked when the top has set and a cake tester or toothpick comes out with few crumbs on it an not liquid. Leave to cool slightly and cut into 12 even pieces. I normally sprinkle some Icing Sugar on mine to finish.

"Forget Love... I'd Rather Fall In Chocolate"

Gooey Chocolate Brownies

Today I made Chocolate Brownies

Whether you've had a tough day in work or you need a little pick me up after a long day of pretending to study in the library, nothing makes you feel all warm inside like a gooey chocolate brownie. Brownies are one of the most soothing members of the cake world. Just think of all the therapy bills you'd save if you learn how to bake brownies. Homemade brownies can be made with cocoa powder or melted solid chocolate. If you use cocoa powder you will need more fat in the batter as the cocoa powder does not contain the cocoa butter that solid chocolate does. I've made brownies both ways but I prefer making them with cocoa powder

The brownies I made today are rich, dark and moist and will leave you screaming for a glass of milk. They'll stick to the roof of your mouth and fill you with an urge for another square.... and then another. This recipe is really easy to make and it's all made in one bowl so it saves on the wash up which is always a bonus. A lot of recipes I've tried before made very flat and thin brownies , you'd feel the need to stack a few of them together to feel like you're actually eating something so I came up with my own. All the ingredients for this recipe I got in Ardkeen Quality Food Store, they have an amazing Baking Section in store with an extensive selection of flour, sugar and other baking goods - including Irish, gluten free and alternative products including Coconut Flour. In this recipe I use my all-time favourite Callebaut White Chocolate Chips.

Ingredients:

(Makes 12 Large)

• 150g Unsalted Butter
• 150g Sugar
• 100g Cocoa Powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 2 Large Eggs, cold
• 100g All Purpose Flour
• 50g White Chocolate Chips

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C and line a 8x8 inch baking tin with parchment paper, leave it over hang slightly so it easier to remove from the tin. 

2. Put the Butter, Sugar and Cocoa Powder in a Microwave friendly bowl. Heat in the microwave for 30 seconds at a time until the butter is completely melted. The mixture will look a little gritty, but rest assured that's how it's suppose to look.

3. Stir in the Vanilla Extract. Add in the eggs one at a time and mix thoroughly after each addition. The mixture will be thick and look shiny.

4. When the eggs are added you can start to whisk in the flour, mix till all the flour is incorporated but make sure not to over-mix as this will leave you with a heavy, tough brownies.

 

5. Pour half the mixture into the pan then sprinkle half the white chocolate chips on top then pour the remainder of the mixture on top and then finish with the remainder of the white chocolate chips.

6. Bake for 25 minutes, I normally set an alarm as when it comes to baking, timing is vital. Insert a toothpick into the center, if it comes out with just a few crumbs on it then it is done, if it comes out with the liquid mixture on it then it is not done and you can cook it for a further 2-3 minutes. Do not bake for over 30 minutes as this will dry your brownies out.

7. Allow the brownies to cool completely before you cut them into squares. This may be the most difficult part of the whole process. I normally put them into the fridge to speed up the cooling process as I have no patience. 

"Love At First Bite"