Brit Abroad - Chocolate Brownies for the East End Runners

Chocolate brownies are like Chardonnay - too many dreadful versions. But Nigella Lawson is the Redeemer... This recipe comes from her Express book which Kier (one brother) got me for Christmas. Along with being able to play the USA national anthem on a harmonica and trying to remember to use the word "mailbox" instead of pigeon hole (where do they keep their pigeons then?) - I figured I had to master this national culinary signature. And they're flourless, though that means you have to share them with more people.

This is a USA recipe but I bet the recipe is in the UK book. UK translation (italics). My modifications (purple). The most important thing is the chocolate. Green & Blacks where you can but Ghirardelli make a close runner up and is available in the Squirrel Hill Giant Eagle!

Paula from Pitt

• 8oz semisweet chocolate (4oz each of semisweet and 60% cacao Ghirardelli) (225g dark 70% cocoa solids)
• 1 cup (2 sticks) (225g) unsalted butter
• 1 cup sugar (200g)
• 2 tspn vanilla extract
• 3 eggs beaten
• 1&1/2 cups ground almonds (150g)
• 1 cup chopped walnuts (100g)
• pure cocoa powder G&Bs or Ghirardelli's natural unsweetened cocoa

Preheat oven to 325F (170C Gas 3). Melt chocolate and butter gently over low heat in a heavy bottomed pan.

Take pan off the heat and add sugar and vanilla to the pan, let it cool a little.

Beat eggs into pan with ground almonds and walnut pieces. Turn into 9inch (23cm) square baking pan (N suggests using a foil one).

Bake 25-30 minutes (ish) top should have set but mix will still be gooey (I cook a bit longer checking the consistency - top set firm, middle still a bit sticky on a cake tester). When cooler, cut carefully into little squares.

Final trick - this works with any chocolate cake thing that sticks a bit in the pan.... turn upside down and dust fairly liberally with the cocoa. Betty's couldn't make it look better.