I just posted a review of Chocolat by Pierre Marcolini. He’s a Belgian master of haute chocolate. A serious master. Many of the recipes in Chocolat are ones you would only find in four-star restaurants or in one of Pierre’s world-class chocolate boutiques.
There recipes here for mortals. Like this spectacular brownie that really any of us could make. It’s a good brownie per se — a standard recipe. What sends this recipe over the top is the grand topping: an array of colorful nuts enmeshed in caramel. Not your standard brownie at all.
The photo here is by Marie Pierre Morel. The book Chocolat is stunning visually. And, in your mouth, there is unsurpassed pleasure.
Brownies with Caramel Sauce & Nuts
Yield: serves 10
Ingredients:
For the brownie:
- 7 ounces shelled pistachios, about 1 ½ cups
- 1 ounces peeled hazelnuts {about 14 cup}
- 1 ounces. {30 g} blanched almond, about ¼ cup
- 6 ounces dark chocolate {78% cacao}, preferably Criollo Blanco grand cru chocolate from Mexico
- 2 sticks butter, diced, plus extra for the brownie pan
- 5 eggs
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
For the caramel sauce:
- 3 tablespoons whipping cream
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced
- 1 generous pinch fleur de sel
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease a brownie pan [8 x 12 inches] with butter.
Spread the pistachios, hazelnuts and almonds on a baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes.
Make and bake the brownies. Chop the chocolate with a knife. Melt it over a hot water bath with the butter and allow to cool to lukewarm.
Whisk the eggs with the sugar, then whisk in the melted chocolate and butter. Incorporate the flour.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40 minutes. Allow to cool slightly in the pan and turn out.
Make the caramel. Warm the cream in a saucepan. In another saucepan, cook the sugar over medium heat until it is a light caramel color. Deglaze with the warm cream, stirring constantly, sand stir in the butter and fleur de sel.
Stir in the roast nuts and allow to cool to lukewarm. Drizzle the still-warm brownies with the caramel sauce with nuts.
Source: Chocolat by Pierre Margolini with photo by Marie Pierre Morel