Preparation Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 45 minutes

Adapted from Handle the Heat’s incredible Ultimate Brownie Recipe

INGREDIENTS

• 240 g good quality dark chocolate
• 170 g unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons good quality cocoa powder
• 3 large eggs, plus one extra yolk
• 200 g caster sugar
• 60 g dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon coconut essence
• 60 g plain flour (gluten free plain flour works just as well)
• 35 g almond meal
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 150 g hazelnuts

METHOD

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C/340°F fan-forced. Grease and line a (roughly) 28 cm x 15 cm slice tin.
2. On a lined baking tray, spread out the hazelnuts and roast for 8 minutes until aromatic and slightly browned. Allow the hazelnuts to cool slightly before rubbing them between your hands to remove any loose skins. Roughly chop or food process for a few seconds.
3. In a medium heatproof bowl, stir the chocolate and butter over a pot of simmering water until almost melted. Remove from heat and stir in the cocoa powder until the mixture is smooth and all of the chocolate and butter has melted. Allow to cool until lukewarm.
4. Meanwhile, beat the eggs and sugar in a medium bowl on high speed for 5 minutes until light and creamy. Add the vanilla and beat for another 30 seconds.
5. Gently fold the cooled chocolate mixture through the eggs and sugar with a large metal spoon. Sift the flour, almond meal and salt over the mixture, and carefully fold through along with the nuts until everything is just combined.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared tin. Bake on the oven’s central rack for 30-35 minutes until a metal skewer comes out clean but moist. Take care not to overcook the brownies, from the 30 minute mark they will quickly change from ‘fudgey’ to ‘cakey’.
7. Allow the brownie slab to cool slightly before lifting it from the tin, then cut into squares with a sharp knife. Best served warm!

Store brownies covered and refrigerated for up to 5 days, but warm just before serving.