Dark chocolate brownies with hazelnuts, a delicious chocolate treat of American origin. In American bakeries, they are found in every display, and for a few years now they have also become popular here. I loved them at first bite, a few decades ago now, but it had been a long time since I last made them. On the occasion of my nieces’ visit, I decided to make them again to offer them a chocolate treat as I know how much they love chocolate desserts. Brownies are chocolate treats with a soft center and a thin, slightly caramelized crust, truly a delight for the palate. If you love chocolate, you can’t miss them. I prepared them with hazelnuts as per the classic recipe, but they can also be made without, or you can substitute with other nuts.
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- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Medium
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 20 pieces
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All Seasons
Ingredients for Hazelnut Brownies
- 7 oz 50% dark chocolate
- 1 cup sugar
- 10 tbsp butter
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2.5 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 3.5 oz hazelnuts
Tools for Preparing Brownies
- 2 Bowls
- 1 Small Bowl
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Baking Pan
- 1 Parchment Paper
Steps to Prepare Brownies
Place the hazelnuts in a baking pan, and toast them for 10 minutes at 212°F, or in the microwave on a plate at 1000 watts for one minute. Once cooled, rub them to remove as much skin as possible.
Chop the chocolate with a knife and place it in a bowl, add the butter and melt using a double boiler, or in the microwave at 1000 watts for about a minute and a half. Stir to completely melt the chocolate, set aside to cool slightly.
In a bowl, work 2 medium whole eggs at room temperature. Beat for a moment then add the sugar. You can reduce it slightly if you wish, but not too much. Mix with a whisk until homogeneous, no need for it to be too fluffy.
Add the melted chocolate with butter to the eggs with sugar and mix.
Now add all the dry ingredients, flour, cocoa, and baking powder, and mix with the whisk to incorporate everything without forming lumps.
Finally, add the whole hazelnuts and we are ready to bake.
Pour the mixture into a 8-inch square pan lined with parchment paper. To adhere the paper, wet the pan, then place the parchment paper.
Level the mixture with a spatula in the pan and bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for about 35 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely.
Only when completely cool, cut into squares, and enjoy.
I recommend making them a bit in advance so they can cool and rest well before cutting, which makes them easier to cut without crumbling too much.
You can also decorate them with chocolate on top if you wish, but they’re already so good that I think it’s unnecessary to make them heavier.
They can be stored for several days in a closed container in the pantry. If it’s too hot, better in the fridge, but take them out a bit before serving.
