Image is for illustrative purposes only.
These are dense, fudgy brownies built on dark couverture chocolate, butter and a generous amount of walnut pieces. A small spoon of instant coffee sharpens the chocolate without tasting of coffee, and a touch of almond essence rounds it all out.
Baked in a slab tray, the brownie comes out with a thin, papery crust on top and a moist, close crumb underneath. Cut into squares it is a sweet on its own, but it also works as a firm, flavourful base layer under mousses, ganache or ice cream cakes because it holds its shape when cut.
Ingredients
The weights in the recipe table below will yield the following 'weight per unit' and 'number of units'. If you would like to change the recipe to cater to a different 'weight per unit' and/or 'number of units',
you can use the Recipe Calculator Tool below the ingredients table.
Note: The Recipe Calculator Tool is available to subscribers.
Weight Per Unit: 1562
Number of Units: 1
Unit Size: 30 x 25 cm slab tray, about 3 cm high
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WEIGHT
(grams)
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ALTERNATIVE METRIC
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INGREDIENT
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IMAGE
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CONDITION
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A
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195 |
6.9 ounces
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Butter
Butter is a solid dairy product made by churning fresh or fermented cream or milk, to separate the butterfat from the buttermilk. It is generally used as a spread on plain or toasted bread products and a condiment on cooked vegetables, as well as in cooking, such as baking, sauce making, and pan frying. Butter consists of butterfat, milk proteins and water.
unsalted
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diced |
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B
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450 |
15.8 ounces
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Sugar
Sugar is the generalized name for sweet, short-chain, soluble carbohydrates, many of which are used in food. They are carbohydrates, composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. There are various types of sugar derived from different sources. Simple sugars are called monosaccharides and include glucose (also known as dextrose), fructose and galactose. The table or granulated sugar most customarily used as food is sucrose, a disaccharide. (In the body, sucrose hydrolyses into fructose and glucose.) Other disaccharides include maltose and lactose. Longer chains of sugars are called oligosaccharides. Chemically-different substances may also have a sweet taste, but are not classified as sugars. Some are used as lower-calorie food substitutes for sugar described as artificial sweeteners.
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C
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195 |
6.9 ounces
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Dark Chocolate (Couverture)
Couverture chocolate is a very high-quality chocolate that contains extra cocoa butter (32–39%). The higher percentage of cocoa butter, combined with proper tempering, gives the chocolate more sheen, firmer "snap" when broken, and a creamy mellow flavor.
bitter, cooking grade
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chopped |
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D
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240 |
4.8 Whole Eggs
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Whole Egg
Eggs are one of the most common ingredients in a typical cake. Egg yolks and whole eggs store significant amounts of protein and choline, and are widely used in baking. Usually an eggs role in a cake is to add moisture and richness, act as a raising agent as well as a glue to bind the ingredients together.
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room temperature |
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E
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195 |
6.9 ounces
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Bread Flour
Bread flour is a strong wheat flour with a higher protein content than plain or cake flour. In a heavy, fruit-laden batter like this one it gives the crumb enough structure to hold the banana and pineapple without sinking.
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sifted |
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F
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4 |
0.8 teaspoon
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Vanilla Essence
Vanilla Extract is made with 100% pure vanilla beans. With a sweet, syrupy consistency, this Vanilla is ideal for use in icings, drinks and whipped cream as well as classic baking recipes. Vanilla Essence is commercially manufactured by chemicals and is more of a watery consistency as opposed to vanilla extract which is thicker and a lot fuller and richer in flavour. You can replace one with the other but use 50% more of essence. For example, for 1 teaspoon of extract, use 1.5 teaspoons of essence.
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G
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2.5 |
0.5 teaspoon
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Almond Essence
Almond essence is a concentrated flavouring made from bitter almond oil or its synthetic equivalent, used a few drops at a time to lift the marzipan-like flavour of almond bakes. It is very strong, so measure it carefully.
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H
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5.5 |
0.2 ounce
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Instant Coffee
Instant coffee, also called soluble coffee, coffee crystals and coffee powder, is a beverage derived from brewed coffee beans. Instant coffee is commercially prepared by either freeze-drying or spray drying, after which it can be rehydrated. Instant coffee in a concentrated liquid form is also manufactured.
granules or powder
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I
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275 |
9.7 ounces
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Walnut Pieces
Walnut pieces are shelled walnut kernels broken into rough chunks. They are sold ready-chopped and are cheaper than whole halves, which makes them ideal for folding through cake batters where the nuts are not on show.
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roughly broken |
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1561
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Recipe Calculator Tool
Using this tool, you can alter this recipe for your own requirements. Use the two fields below to generate new weights for the ingredients above.
STEP 1. Enter your Custom Weight Per Unit
The 'Custom Weight Per Unit' is already loaded with the weight per unit for this recipe but can be changed if required. If all you wish to do is change the number of units (or servings), just leave the current weight per unit.
STEP 2. Enter your Custom Number of Units
This is the number of units (or servings) you want this recipe to yield.
STEP 3. Click Calculate
The new weights for your adjusted recipe will be displayed in the table above.
Method
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STEP
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ACTION
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DETAIL
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CONDITION
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1 |
Pre-heat |
Pre-heat the oven to 180°C (355°F) and line a 30 x 25 cm slab tray with baking paper, letting the paper come up the sides. |
Tray lined so the baked slab lifts out in one piece |
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2 |
Melt |
Melt A and C (butter and dark couverture chocolate) together over a water bath or in short bursts in the microwave, stirring between each burst. |
Smooth and glossy, no lumps, not hotter than hand warm |
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3 |
Whisk |
Whisk D and B (whole egg and caster sugar) together in a large bowl until the sugar has started to dissolve and the mixture is pale. |
Thick and light, sugar no longer gritty |
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4 |
Combine |
Stir F, G and H (vanilla essence, almond essence and instant coffee) into the warm chocolate mixture, then pour it into the egg and sugar mixture and mix well. |
Coffee fully dissolved, batter dark and even |
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5 |
Fold |
Sift E (bread flour) over the batter and fold it through gently. |
Just combined, no dry flour showing |
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6 |
Fold |
Fold I (walnut pieces) through the batter. |
Walnuts evenly spread |
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7 |
Fill |
Pour the mixture into the lined tray and spread it level with a palette knife. |
Even thickness across the tray |
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8 |
Bake |
Bake at 180°C (355°F) for about 25 to 30 minutes. |
Top set with a thin crust, a skewer in the centre comes out with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter |
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9 |
Cool |
Leave the brownie in the tray to cool completely, then lift it out on the paper and cut into squares with a hot, clean knife. |
Fully cold before cutting, or the slab will tear |
Important Notes
The scaled recipe makes about 1.56 kg of batter, enough for one 30 x 25 cm slab tray about 3 cm high. Brownies are best slightly underbaked rather than overbaked: pull them out while the centre is still soft, as they firm up a great deal as they cool. Cut only when completely cold, wiping the knife between cuts. Stored airtight at room temperature they keep moist for 3 to 4 days, and they freeze well wrapped, either whole or in cut squares. The slab can also be used as a firm base layer under mousse or ganache cakes.
Tools & Arrangements
Kitchen scales, 30 x 25 cm slab tray, baking paper, heatproof bowl and saucepan for a water bath (or a microwave), large mixing bowl, whisk, rubber spatula, palette knife, cooling rack, long sharp knife.
