Nutty Brownies

 

I feel so bad for polishing these brownies off within a day. But they contained my absolute favourite taste combinations of all time: chocolate and nuts. The added spoonful of coffee helps to enrich the chocolate flavour. Don’t worry, it won’t taste of coffee at all. It is perfectly sublime, dense chocolatey-ness with a luxury cashew nut bite. yum

Nutty Brownies

150 g butter, softened

240 g caster sugar

3 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla essence

20 g plain chocolate (minimum 65% cocoa solids), chopped (optional) 

50 g raw cashew nuts, chopped  

90 g plain flour

50 g cocoa (I use Green & Blacks Organic Cocoa)

½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt

1 tsp instant coffee (optional)

Preheat oven to 180ºC/ 350ºF. Line a 9x9-inch square baking tin with greaseproof paper.

In a large bowl mix together your butter and sugar.

Add your eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla essence. Sprinkle in the chocolate, if using and fold your cashew nuts into the mixture. (I tend to break my cashews down by putting them in a food bag and bashing with a rolling-pin. That’s the fun part). 

Add flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt and mix until combined. The mixture should be quite viscous and shiny looking.

Slowly spoon it into the tin and spread evenly with the back of a metal spoon. Try to alleviate any bubbles on the surface before putting into your oven. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. 

Allow to cool in the tin for ten minutes before removing.