Hotel Chocolat´s rich Chocolate Brownies

Some time ago I had the great pleasure to work for Hotel Chocolat (a british cacao grower and chocolatier) on a recipe card serie with stylist Elodie Rambaud in London, including those mouthwatering Brownies.

More recipes (for example a stunning Cacao Gin Cocktail) are now available on pretty cards and booklets in their stores all over the UK, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, New York and Boston.

..and here is the recipe for the
HAZELNUT AND PECAN BROWNIES

Preparation: 20 mins
Cooking: 40 mins

MAKES 12

Ingredients:

200g/7oz unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
220g/7.oz Hotel Chocolat
70% Dark Chocolate Drops

200g/7oz caster sugar
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 vanilla pod, split lengthways and seeds scraped out
150g/5oz plain flour, sifted
1 tsp baking powder, sifted
75g/2oz pecan nuts,broken into pieces
75g/2oz whole hazelnuts
3 tbsp desiccated coconut
150g/5oz Hotel Chocolat
40% Milk Chocolate Drops

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4. Lightly grease and line the base of a 20cm/8in baking tin.
2. Melt the dark chocolate drops and butter in a large heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of gently simmering water, stirring occasionally.
3. Remove the bowl from the heat and stir in the sugar, beaten eggs and vanilla seeds. Fold in the flour and baking powder then add the pecan nuts, hazelnuts coconut and milk chocolate drops.
4. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking tin and bake until the top is firm but the centre is still slightly soft when pressed lightly, about 30–35 minutes. Leave the brownies to cool in the tin on a wire rack and cut into 12 squares.


… and for the case you worry about the calories, my little sister just wrote this on my kitchen wall