This is obviously not a typical Italian recipe and, unlike many of you, I haven’t grown up eating and baking brownies. I have discovered them relatively late in life, but it was “love at first bite”. And how could it not be? I adore chocolate! After eating them once, I tried to find a recipe to replicate them as I always do when I eat something I like. I found only one and it required molasses. I was still in Italy then (and it was before the internet became so popular and widespread) and you have no idea how hard it was to find molasses. After extensive searching I managed to find some in a small shop in the area of Brera in Milan and I could finally make my brownies! Yum! A few years have passed by and I now have access to so many recipes just by browsing the web… which means I do not necessarily need molasses anymore! 😉 What I am going to share with you today is a recipe adapted from Jamie Oliver’s “Bloomin’ Brilliant Brownies”… I am not using cherries in it and I am using macadamia nuts in honour of my new country: Australia. You could use hazelnuts or walnuts too. These brownies are fantastic: not too sweet and really gooey and moist inside. Enjoy and thank you Jamie Oliver!
Ingredients:
250 gms – 0.55 lb. butter
200 gms – 7 oz. dark chocolate
80 to 100 gms – 2.8 to 3.5 oz. macadamia nuts
80 gms – 2.8 oz. cocoa powder (sifted)
65 gms – 2.3 oz. flour (sifted)
1 tsp baking powder
4 eggs
360 gms – 1 1/2 cup sugar
¼ tsp vanilla essence (optional)
Put the butter and dark chocolate in a pan/bowl and melt over some simmering water (in a bain marie/double boiler). Mix well until smooth and add the macadamia nuts.
In a separate bowl, mix together the sifted cocoa powder, sifted flour, baking powder and sugar.
Add this mixture to the chocolate and macademia nut mixture and stir well. Beat the eggs and mix them into the brownie mixture until you get a silky consistency.
Pour the brownie mix into a 25×25 cm or 20×30 cm baking tray, lined with baking paper and bake in a preheated fan forced oven at 180°C for about 25 minutes. They have to remain soft and gooey on the inside, so do not overcook them.
When ready, let them cool down before removing from the baking try and cutting them into big squares.
These brownies look divine. I’ve always had a difficult time with making brownies. They always tend to come out too dry and not gooey enough. I will have to try these next time I get a chocolate craving!
M mm… I always like the fudgy, moist texture of brownies. Your addition of macadamia nuts makes it more rich. thanks for sharing.
I think brownies are real treat, aroma and texture are so good….lovely photos:)
Well, I discovered brownies late, too… but now I don’t let go of them! 🙂
Great recipe, Manu!
This looks so, so very delicious! I adore dark chocolate, and these brownies looks so moist! I love the contrast with all the pink, too. 🙂
LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE!These look absolutely amazing. Perfect chewy, chocolately, moist and delicious squares of happiness. I’m just disappointed to learn your relationship with brownies didn’t start in babydom…I pity the lost years! 🙂
Lovely brownies. Never tried making brownies before, I guess I should now after seeing these beauties 🙂
Regards,
Manju
http://manjuseatingdelights.blogspot.com
Oooh, they look so rich and gooey, and I love them with macadamia nuts! I didn’t try my first brownie until last year, so I’m pretty new to them too 🙂 Still love them!
Manu, the brownie is perfect, looks so moisture, just how I like, I prefere this kind and not the one that is as cake.
We don’t have macadamia here, but the first time I eat it was in Hawaii and I like it so much.
Manu these looks so rich and fudgey! I have a ton of mac nuts I need to use. I’m so making these!
Brownies are really very delicious and irresistible but most store-bought ones are too sweet for me. Now I can bake my own with lesser sugar. 😉
I LOVE macadamia nuts AND dark chocolate. These sound and look absolutely amazing!
I keep telling myself to look away, but i keep staring! These look wonderful!
Manu these brownies are so perfect looking…
I love brownies like mad. And this post is a delicious torture…
I need them so badly, right now.
Wow, those look so absolutely decadent, I want to bite into my laptop screen and taste one!
Love the step by step pictures and the final product – so moist!
Yum, lots of chocolate and this is what I need when I am stressed, tired, cranky, and pretty much all the time. And I always prefer chocolate sweets with some sort of nuts. This would be my perfect kind of sweet…
This looks nice but I think it would definitely be too sweet for my not so sweet tooth 🙁
Besides the fact that I absolutely adore brownies (I would probably have to vote them my favorite dessert ever) I also love macadamia nuts. What a wonderful combination.
Oh my gosh, these are beautiful and your photos are wonderful. My husband loves brownies I am going to have to make him these. Thanks!
Hmm, yummy…. My kids love brownies, I guess anything with chocolate will do. your’s looks very gorgeous, stunning lovely picures as usual.
These brownies look so decadent! The pics make them look even more delectable 🙂 Thanks for sharing
One of my favorite flavor combos. I don’t use/eat macadamia nuts as often as I’d like because they’re a bit pricey. This recipe sounds very good and how did you get the brownies to stack so nicely?
Thanks Sandra! I was lucky… as the brownies were quite even, so I had no big problem to stack them nicely… but I have read that some people use a toothpick to stack them! That would have been my second option… 😉
LOVE that you used dark chocolate and paired it with macadamia nuts instead of walnuts! Now, I just wish I could taste them!