P66: COCOA-CHESTNUT BROWNIES
P67: LEMON & RASPBERRY BITES
P67: BIT TERSWEET COCOA NIB NOUGATINE
P68: CHOC-ON-CHOC TART
P69: CHOCOL ATE CHERRY TRUFFLES
P69: BANANA PUFFS
P70: CHOCOL ATE & ORANGE MACARONS
P71: CRANBERRY & PISTACHIO TUILES
P71: DARK CHOCOL ATE & MARMALADE TRUFFLES
P72: CHERRY BAKEWELL FLAPJACKS
Cocoa-chestnut brownies
Recipe taken from What’s For Dessert by Claire Saffitz, photography by Jenny Huang, published by Murdoch Books, £26.
MAKES 16
170 (6oz) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
200g (7oz) peeled roasted chestnuts, from a bag or jar rinsed and patted dry
50g (1¾oz) unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted if lumpy
2 large cold free-range eggs
200g (7oz) granulated sugar
55g (2oz) packed light brown sugar
2tsp vanilla extract
100g (3½oz) plain flour
1tsp kosher salt
170g (6oz) semisweet chocolate (64%-70% cacao), chopped
160ml (5½fl oz) double cream (5.6 oz / 160g)
1 Preheat the oven to 180°C/Gas Mark 4. Place an oven rack in the centre of the oven and line a 20x20cm (8×8in) baking tin with foil, pressing it into the corners and smoothing up the sides.
2 Melt the butter in a small saucepan over a medium-low heat, then remove from the heat. Use a pastry brush to coat the bottom and sides of the foil with a thin layer of the melted butter, then set the pan aside.
3 Set the saucepan of melted butter over a medium heat and add the chestnuts. Bring the mixture to a simmer and sizzle the chestnuts in the butter, mashing them occasionally with a potato masher, until they are fragrant and have broken down into a coarse paste with the biggest pieces about the size of a lentil. Remove the saucepan from the heat and add 60ml (2floz) water and the cocoa powder and whisk until smooth. Set aside and let cool slightly.
4 In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs until they’re streak-free, then add the granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla and whisk vigorously until the mixture is slightly pale, about one minute.
Scrape the chestnut mixture into the egg mixture and whisk to combine,
