Bittersweet Chocolate Brownie with Crushed Almonds

Today, I decided to make chocolate brownie simply because the result is just too yummy. I have always craved for sweet and nutty pastries. Well, that explains so don't be surprised if my posts are mostly made of sugar and nuts. :)

Brownie or chocolate brownie is hails from the US of A, a semi-flat square or made with chocolate and baked in a sheet pan, something like a dense chocolate cake. A brownie can be fudgy or cake-like depending on the ingredients you put in.

So away with the intro, and because you and I just love sweet, nutty chocolates, I shall go ahead with the baking directions.

How To Make Bittersweet Chocolate Brownie (with almonds)

First of, the ingredients are:

250g caster sugar

180g bittersweet chocolate

180g soft butter

110g plain flour

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 eggs

1/2 cup crushed almonds (or walnuts)

some butter for greasing

gorgeous chocolate mixture ready for bake.

Directions:

1. Heat chocolate and butter in a double boiler for about 10 minutes until melt. Use a wooden spoon and stir gently. Then, remove chocolate mixture. Let cool.

2. Meanwhile, put the eggs in a big bowl followed by caster sugar and vanilla extract. Whisk.

3. Pour cooled chocolate mixture into the bowl with eggs, sugar and vanilla. Fold in.

4. Finally add remaining ingredients of flour and almonds (or walnuts). Use a method called cutting and folding to mix it.

5. Pour mixture in a tin (greased and covered with baking sheet) and bake for 25-30 minutes at 160 C.

6. After brownie is baked, remove from oven immediately and let cool.

7. Cut into square pieces and top with icing sugar.

As you can see, there is no use of baking powder or baking soda because you want this dense, chewy and moist texture which is how brownies should be. That makes a brownie different from a cake. The lack of leavening and minimal amount of flour results in a fudge-like bar.

Also, for brownies, it is best to remove them from the oven as early as possible basically when a toothpick test still shows a few moist crumbs, again because we are looking for a dense, fudgy brownie; as opposed to cakes and muffins, the toothpick inserted must come out clean first as an indication that it is ready to be taken out of the oven.

my pictures didn't turn out good. I'll try taking better ones for my next post! with better lighting!

This is my first time making brownies but it turned out great! Except that it was a little TOO sweet for my taste. Next time I will have to reduce the amount of caster sugar! :)

Okay, so how to enjoy a brownie?

Sprinkle icing sugar, top with caramel and ice cream (if you have an extraordinary sweet tooth), glaze with nuts; or simply have it plain with a glass of milk or coffee. You will be in heaven in no time!