SALT AND PEPPER HAZELNUT BROWNIES

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Adding salt and pepper to brownies makes them a bit more adult and adds an interesting savoury element that works really well with dark chocolate. This recipe uses no flour, so these are a perfect gluten-free treat.

MAKES SIXTEEN

PREP: 15 MINS

COOK: 20–25 MINS

170g (5¾oz) dark chocolate (70 per cent cocoa solids), roughly broken up

120g (4½oz) butter

3 eggs

150g (5oz) sugar

1 tsp table salt

3 tsp coarsely ground black peppercorns

100g (3½oz) toasted hazelnuts, half roughly chopped and half left whole

½ tsp sea salt

1 × approx. 28cm (11in) brownie tin or shallow baking tin

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4. Line the brownie or baking tin with baking paper.

Melt the chocolate and butter in a glass or metal bowl over a pan of barely simmering water (make sure the water doesn’t touch the bowl), stirring a couple of times, until the chocolate is just melted and smooth.

In a separate mixing bowl, use an electric whisk (you can do this by hand but it will take a while) to beat the eggs, sugar, salt and 1 teaspoon of the coarsely ground pepper until very light and fluffy and tripled in volume. Whisk to combine.

Stir in the melted chocolate mixture and, when it is incorporated, fold in the hazelnuts. Pour into the tin and sprinkle with the remaining pepper and the sea salt. Bake for 20–25 minutes, until the surface is firm but gives a little when you touch it.

Leave to cool in the tin before cutting into squares. The brownies will keep in an airtight container for 2–3 days.