Nigella's Walnut Brownies



Walnut Brownies



      For a few months, I kept my baking bug at bay- I couldn't bake anything, not that I didn't want to- it seemed that I lost my "mojo". Things were not going well at work, there were simply too much of paperwork and assignments, so I stopped baking almost- totally. That  explains the lack of posts in my blog. Personally, I loved baking too much that I despise my paperwork and assignments, as they made me lost my concentration in life ;( . I have some enquiries on baking brownies and friends at work place have been asking for them, but I told them that I lost my mood in baking -well, almost.

      

    Eventually, last Thursday morning, at  3.00 in the morning precisely, I woke up early just to  bake these brownies, not for friends at work but for another set of "friends" as we had a potluck party on Thursday afternoon. I wanted to bake a simple no-fuss butter cake but I ended up baking these brownies. These brownies brought back my " mojo" as I had been bugged by paperwork for nearly three months. As for my friends at work, I've baked a pan of brownies on the next day - but that would be another great story for my next post.

   

    

These brownies are enough for more than 15 persons during the party.

  


Brownies, brownies

 

 Well, as you could see I had Nigella's brownies recipe from "How To Be A Domestic Goddess" on my mind. So my intention here, is to share this recipe, so that friends at my work place can stop and browse on my blog and just cut, paste and print this recipe. The truth is, I've tweaked this recipe here and there, but I'll give you the complete original recipe from Ms Lawson and do some notes on my version. Bake them and you will have the "mojo" to bake again, just like me.

Here goes the recipe;

Ingredients:

1 2/3 cups soft unsalted butter ( I used Beurre Demi-Sel Lescure - semi-salted  French butter from the Lescure brand)
* it was unitentionally- I thought I have used unsalted butter
13 ounces  best bittersweet chocolate ( I used 100g / 3.5 oz Swiss Frey Noir Authentique extra dark bittersweet chocolate  +  1 whole bar of bittersweet Hershey's baking chocolate)
6 large eggs
1 tbsp of vanilla extract
1 2/3 cups caster sugar ( I used 1 2/3 cups soft brown sugar)
1 1/2 cups all- purpose flour ( 1 used 1 1/3 cups plain flour) -*sifted twice
1 tsp salt ( I omitted this)
1 1/3 cups chopped walnuts ( I used 1/2 cup of walnuts - I roasted them first, in the oven for 7-8 mins)
Pan measuring approximately 13 X 9 X 2 1/2 inches

How

1) Preheat the oven to 120 C. (mine is electric conventional oven)
     * Nigella - preheat the oven to 350 F.
2) Line your brownie pan
3) Melt the butter and chocolate. Double boil them . (Put a heat-proof bowl on top of  hot water).
4) In a big baking bowl, beat the eggs with vanilla and sugar.
5) Measure the flour into another bowl and add the salt (if any).
* If  you have used semi-salted butter or salted buter - please omit salt in the recipe.

6) When the chocolate mixture has melted, let it cool for a moment.  Pour the chocolate mixture into  the baking bowl which contains eggs and sugar.
7) Pour in  flour and walnuts. Beat until the mixture comes out smoothly and then scrape out of the baking bowl into the lined pan.
8) Bake for about 25 mins or less, depending on your oven. Check if it's ready, by inserting a skewer into the brownies, if it comes out clean, then, your brownies are ready.

Some notes from Nigella Lawson, the baking goddess, I quote ;

" When it's ready, the top should be dried to a paler brown speckle, but the middle still dark and dense and gooey. And even with such a big batch you do need to keep alert, keep checking: the difference between gungy brownies and dry brownies is only a few minutes; remember that they will continue to cook as they cool. # Makes a maximum of 48 "




No fancy props, as I took this picture at 5.00 in the morning

  


From the book "How To Be A Domestic Goddess"

 

Well, on a final note, I am smitten by Ms Nigella Lawson, the  Kitchen Goddess, as she gives a different meaning of being in a kitchen and still looking good, but I am definitely not a Domestic Goddess. (chuckles). Have a  happy Monday and may baking rules your heart ;)