Brownies Two Ways

Andy made Jacques Pépin's Chocolate Hazelnut Brownie Cake last night.

5 Tbsp unsalted butter
6 oz. semisweet (or bittersweet) chocolate
1/2 cup shelled hazelnuts
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease an 8- or 9-inch square or round cake pan.

Break the chocolate into small pieces and put it in a glass bowl with the butter. Melt in the microwave and then stir until smooth.

Toast hazelnuts on a cookie sheet for 5–6 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool a few minutes and then transfer to plastic bag and crush into very small pieces with a rolling pin or mallet.

Put the sugars, eggs, and vanilla into a large bowl and beat with a whisk until smooth. Add the nuts and melted chocolate and fold in gently with a rubber spatula until well incorporated. Pour into pan and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the cake is just set but still wet in the center. Cool to room temperature on a rack. (The cake will set as it cools.)

Cut into wedges (round pan) or squares (square pan) and serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

It was delish, but a bit cakey for me. I prefer my brownies very moist and fudgy, the way my mother-in-law makes 'em:

2 sticks butter
1 12-oz. bag semisweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons vanilla
dash salt

Preheat oven to 300°. Grease a 9 x 13 pan.

Melt butter and chocolate chips together in the microwave. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake for 45 minutes. Cut when hot into small squares, but then let them cool for a few minutes before taking them out of the pan.

Comments

[susan]

The hazelnut version sounds interesting but your MIL makes brownies the way I like them.