Sunday, May 30, 2010

Chocolate Brownies

Gluten Free and Dairy Free
What can I say about the brownie. It is by far my favourite treat, it's rich, it's chocolate and it is addictive. It was the first gluten free thing I ever made.

I have gone through so many variations and experimentations of this recipe and made them so many times I've lost count. The brownie page of my hand written recipe book is covered in chocolate stains. I don't think I could live without them. I make them every week and my friends are constantly asking for them, so I always make them in large batches of about 20. Somehow I still manage to limit myself to one per day.

This recipe makes about 9 brownies

INGREDIENTS:
150g dark chocolate
50g dairy free margarine
2 eggs
170g soft light brown sugar
50ml oil 
50g ground almonds
40g rice flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
2 tsp vanilla essence

METHOD:
1) Preheat oven to Gas Mark 3.5 / 170C / 335F
2) Line a square baking tray (roughly 9x9 inch)
3) Melt chocolate over a double boiler.
4) Take off the heat and stir in margarine until melted, then set aside to cool slightly.
5) In a bowl, beat the eggs with an electric mixer until light and fluffy (don't over do it, it should look frothy)
6) Add the sugar and beat until smooth.
7) Add the oil and beat again to combine.
8) Add the chocolate in small amounts and mix gently after each addition. Then beat well for about a minute.
9) In a separate bowl, mix the almond, flour, salt and baking soda.
10) Add the flour mix to the chocolate mix and beat for a minute or so.
11) Add the vanilla and beat a final time for 30 to 40 seconds.
12) Feel free to add chocolate chips at this point, or chopped nuts if you so desire.
13) Spread batter into tray.
14) Bake in centre of the oven for 25 to 30 minutes (It varies from oven to oven). 
(The brownies will rise in the centre when baking, you will know they are done when this has fallen and gone flat again. You don't want them  to bake too long after this.)
15) Leave them to cool in the tray, then remove and cut. Eat and drool.

1 comment: