Chocolate, Chestnut & Persimmon Brownies
If you know me then you’ll know that chestnuts are one of my favourite winter ingredients - and here I pair them with another of my favourites, persimmons, to give you brownies that are so deliciously decadent (and gluten and dairy-free) that you’ll struggle to just eat one!
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs, beaten
- 200 g dark organic chocolate (70% cocoa), broken into chunks
- 100 g coconut oil, odorless
- 130 g chestnut flour
- 40 g cacao powder
- 150 g coconut sugar
- 2 very ripe, persimmons, cut in half, flesh scooped out, skin discarded (persimmons take a few days to ripen so purchase in advance - sometimes they can take 1 week to ripen)
- 1 tsp baking powder (gluten-free)
- ½ tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
Garnish
- 150 g dark organic chocolate, melted (optional)
- chopped nuts (e.g. pistachios, walnuts, almondsetc.)
- Ice cream (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F, gas mark 5, 190°C (170°C fan-assisted). Line a 9 x 9 inch (24cm) square baking tin with parchment paper.
- Melt the chocolate chunks and coconut oil in a glass bowl set over a pan of simmering water (taking care not to let the chocolate come into contact with the water or it will seize), stirring regularly, then set it aside to cool.
- Using a fork, mash the persimmon flesh until smooth, then add the eggs and vanilla bean paste and whisk until just combined (do not over beat). Fold in the chestnut flour, baking powder, cacao powder, coconut sugar and salt, then pour in the melted chocolate and oil and mix again, scraping down any mixture that “escapes” up the sides of the bowl so that everything gets combined.
- Pour the mixture into your prepared baking tin and smooth the surface, then place the tin onto the middle shelf of the pre-heated oven and bake for 18-23 minutes – If you like to have a gooey texture then cook for 18 minutes, I cook them for 20 minutes, but if you like something firmer then go for 23 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and leave to cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes, then place the tin into the refrigerator for at least 4 hours (or overnight) so that the brownies firm up and set.
- Lift the chilled brownies out of the tin then, with a sharp knife, cut away ½ cm from each of the sides (keep these as chef’s perks!) then cut the brownie into 16 squares.
- Leave the brownies to come to room temperature before serving with jug of melted chocolate on the side OR, if you want something a little more indulgent, cover each square with melted chocolate, sprinkle with chopped nuts, then return them to the refrigerator to allow the chocolate to set before serving. Simply delicious with a scoop or two of your favourite ice cream served alongside!
- If you have any leftovers, wrap them tightly and store at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
- Enjoy!
- When making this recipe, I’d LOVE to see how you get on so either send me a photo to lisa@myrelationshipwithfood.com or post a picture to Instagram using the #myrelationshipwithfood and tag @myrelationshipwithfood
Notes
Lisa's Tip - These brownies have a really gooey, mousse like texture which can make them slightly messy to cut but I’ve found that if you wipe the blade of your knife clean in between each slice then the brownies stay nice and neat. Chestnuts are quite to different to other types of nut – they contain less fat and protein and are richer in carbohydrate – but they are still super versatile and, of course, delicious! Persimmons, also known as Sharon Fruit, originally came from East Asia and can now be found in most large supermarkets. When ripe they should be slightly soft – you want to use that sort rather than the harder, unripe ones in this recipe.
