Macadamia nut chocolate bars

Tags

bars, brownies, chestnut purée, chocolate, fiesta fridays, gluten free, nuts

These bars will taste even better if you prepare them the day before serving. Allow to cool completely in the dish then wrap in cling film and refrigerate overnight before cutting into squares. If you do not have macadamia nuts, feel free to use almonds or hazelnuts or a mix of nuts. Do make sure that you use the vanilla sweetened chestnut purée and not the unsweetened variety. To make these gluten free, simply use the gluten free Maïzena which is freely available in most stores nowadays.

Makes about 16 squares

Ingredients:

225 g / 8 oz dark chocolate
130 g / 8 tablespoons soft butter
450 g / 16 oz / 1 can chestnut purée, sweetened
3 eggs
1 heaped tablespoon corn starch (Maïzena)
100 g / 4 oz white chocolate
80 g / 2/3 cup macadamia nuts, roughly chopped

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 150 C / 300 F
Butter a dish about 22 cm x 22 cm / 9″ x 9″
Melt 125 g / 5 oz of the dark chocolate in a bain-marie or over boiling water, remove from heat
Add the butter and stir to combine
Add the chestnut purée and mix well
Add the eggs one at a time
Add the corn starch
Mix thoroughly
Pour the mixture into the prepared dish
Place in the oven for 25 minutes
Meanwhile roughly chop the remaining dark chocolate, the white chocolate and the nuts
Remove from oven and scatter the chocolates and nuts over the top
Return to the oven for 20 to 25 minutes
Allow to cool completely then refrigerate for about 4 hours before cutting into squares
Keep refrigerated but remember to return to room temperature for about 30 minutes before eating
Enjoy!

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Walnut chocolate chip brownies – chocolate goodness

Tags

brownies, chocolate, walnuts

Brownies are the sort of treat that shouldn’t work at all, but in the same way that uncooked cake batter is a delight, brownies are often better than the most perfectly cooked chocolate cake. These must be taken out while still squidgy, be brave, you will be grateful later as you enjoy a very gooey, rich, brownie that just melts in your mouth.

Ingredients:
300 g / 10 oz dark chocolate broken into pieces (I use Lindt 80%)
250 g / 9 oz unsalted butter, cubed
5 medium eggs, beaten
350 g/ 1 ¾ cups light brown sugar
200 g/ 1 ¾ cups flour
100 g/ 3 ½ oz chocolate chips
50 g/ 2 oz chopped walnuts

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 180C / 350F
Melt the chocolate and butter in a bain marie or a bowl over a pan of simmering water
Cool
Grease a 20cm x 30cm / 8″ x 12″ cake tin
Beat the eggs with the sugar
Add a pinch of salt
Sift in the flour
Beat until blended
Add the chocolate chips and walnuts
Pour into the pan and bake for 25 – 30 minutes (do not use a fan oven as the brownies will dry out)
The top will look crackly but the insides will be firm but gooey
allow to cool in the pan for 30 minutes
Slice into squares
Serve as they are or to be extra decadent serve with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce