Chocolate, Espresso and Hazelnut Brownies
This recipe for Chocolate Brownies from popular London-based restaurant, Caravan, includes hazelnuts and the optional kick of espresso for a rich and complex treat.
From the book
Caravan: Dining All Day
Recipes from the London restaurant scene favourite
Beautiful dishes using fresh and seasonal ingredients
Aussie-style brunch inspiration
Introduction
Over the years we have produced countless versions of the chocolate brownie. They are particularly popular in our restaurants and on our takeout counters in the afternoon, when customers seem to like a little indulgence with their coffee. We have given them an extra hit of energy by adding espresso to the mix; you can of course omit this, but we urge you to give it a try as we think it adds great flavour to the final result.
Ingredients
| 240g | unsalted butter |
| 320g | dark chocolate |
| 4 | medium eggs |
| 400g | caster sugar |
| 80g | plain flour |
| 100ml | espresso, cooled (optional) |
| 125g | hazelnuts, toasted and smashed or roughly chopped |
Essential kit
You will need: a 20cm square baking tin, at least 3cm high and a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or an electric whisk.
Method
Preheat the oven to 150°C and butter and line a 20cm square baking tin, at least 3cm high, with baking paper.
Place the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set over a pan of barely simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl doesn’t touch the water. Mix together until melted, then set aside to cool to room temperature.
In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk together the eggs and sugar on medium speed until the mixture has doubled in volume and is a pale colour. Let the mixture rest for 5 minutes and then bang the bowl a couple of times on the work surface to knock out some air.
Add the flour to the mixing bowl and fold in by hand until all the flour is mixed in. Add the cooled chocolate mixture and cooled espresso, if using, to the bowl and fold through until completely combined. Finally fold the hazelnuts through the mixture and pour into the prepared tin.
Before placing in the oven, drop the baking tin a couple of times onto your work surface to knock out further air. Bake for 30–35 minutes until an inserted skewer comes out with mixture on it, but the mixture is warm to the touch. Remove from the oven and leave in the tray to cool.
You can eat this the same day but for a super-fudgy brownie (which we love and is how we serve them at our restaurants), leave the brownie in the tray in the fridge overnight and cut into squares the following morning.
