Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Chocolate, almond and white chocolate brownies

Chocolate, almond and white chocolate brownies

I love how our mind works and how we automatically connect certain words. Like “frogs = gross” or “Tom Cruise = weird”. In this case, the word “delicious” instantly popped into my head when I saw Haalo’s chocolate, almond and white chocolate brownies.

The idea of a brownie + my favorite nut + my oh, so loved white chocolate sounded just fantastic. And after trying these I think that the person who came up with it should get a statue or something. Yes, they are that good.

Chocolate, almond and white chocolate brownies

Chocolate, almond and white chocolate brownies

125g softened butter, cut into small cubes
110g caster sugar
2 eggs
55g ground almonds/almond meal
65g plain flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons Dutch process cocoa
125g dark chocolate, melted – I used one with 51% cocoa solids
110g white chocolate, roughly chopped

Preheat the oven to 170ºC/340ºF; grease and line a 20cm/8inch square cake pan – leave extra paper hanging out of the pan, forming “handles”, and it will be easier to unmold the brownies. Grease the paper as well.

Sift the plain flour, baking powder and cocoa together and set aside.
Place the softened butter and sugar into the bowl of a mixer and beat until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs, one at a time, making sure they are fully incorporated before adding the next.
Sprinkle the almond meal over the mixture and fold through using a rubber spatula. Next add the sifted ingredients and stir through.

Pour over the melted chocolate and mix this through before finally adding the white chocolate chunks.
Spoon this out evenly into the prepared pan - you may need to use the back of a spoon to smooth out the surface.
Bake for about 40 minutes - the surface should be cooked but there should still feel springy to the touch.

Cool completely in the pan over a wire rack. Cut into squares and serve.

Makes 9 large brownies

38 comments:

  1. AnonymousJune 11, 2008

    The brownies are beautiful looking and I'm sure delicious but the Tom Cruise comment made me laugh out loud!

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  2. Poor Tom Cruise. :)
    These look super delish!

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  3. I love that Tom Cruise=weird for you! lol! Those brownies look incredible, the ground almonds and the white chocolate must make a great combo. :)

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  4. Years ago I made white chocolate brownies! Oh, they were sweet, but they were delicious. The recipe is in The Nantucket Open House Cookbook.

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  5. Haha, funny how a decade or two ago people would not even have considered that word association with Tom Cruise.... Sad :P
    What do make me happy are your brownies! I'll have to double it though-- 9 brownies, no matter how large, certainly won't last very long here :D

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  6. LOL Tom Cruise=weird! These sound divine Patricia!

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  7. Brownies...chocolate, almonds and white chocolate...and MILK, too...How perfect. I want one now, please. Love the pretty table cloth, too.

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  8. Oh my! Those look sooo fudgy! YUM!

    I always knew something was up with Tom...

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  9. Love these - they have white chocolate in them after all:}

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  10. Love these - they have white chocolate in them after all:}

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  11. Pat... you should see me how hard I laughed... TC = weird, it is hilarious!
    Seriously, will you kitchen have a small space for my bed? You keep tempting me with all these super-delicious cakes, I got to move it!

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  12. AnonymousJune 12, 2008

    haha Tom Cruise.

    Those brownies look truly delectable. Yum!

    So do those madeleines below the brownies. I have loved madeleines since I was young and those look amazing.

    Thanks for sharing!

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  13. LOL.. Tom Cruise

    hhhmm those brownies look soooo good.

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  14. Agree on Tom Cruise... What was Katie thinking?? But then again, I remember how hot I thought he was in Top Gun and how cute in Risky Business...

    Anyway, back to the brownies - yum yum yum! I'll definitely have to try these :)

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  15. Yes, delicious is a very suitable word to describe these, the look great!

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  16. Tom Cruise=weird (funny LOL!)

    Always looking for the next great brownie recipe. This sounds like a winner :)

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  17. They look so fudgy and moist, and yep--Tom Cruise is definitely a whackadoo.

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  18. Whoa! I'm seeing a lot of brownies everywhere this week...but I think these take the prize! Lovely!
    I knew Tom Cruise was off his rocker back in the Risky Business days! He gave me the willies.

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  19. My mouth is seriously watering over these. I think I need to make some brownies right now!

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  20. I was just reading about some other brownies - now I think I really need to go home and make some!

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  21. Cathy, isn't he a lunatic? :)

    Pea, poor Katie as well. :)

    LyB, these brownies are wonderful!

    Lydia, these are not too sweet, darling, I think you'd like them!

    Mark, you are right! I never liked him - I had a crush on both Harrison Ford and Gary Oldman when I was a teen - but my friends would kill for him.

    Gigi, thank you, sweetie!

    Elle, thank you! That was a gift by my madeleine monster friend. :)

    Joey, and there must something wrong with Katie, too. :)

    KJ, you are one of mine! :)

    Gattina, you are more than welcome - and I'd prepare the guest room for you, darling, of course!

    Nicole, thank you for stopping by! I'm glad you liked the recipes!

    Mindy, tks for visiting!

    Jeanne, I don't know - is it all for the money? :S
    Do try the brownies, darling!

    Bri, thank you!

    RecipeGirl, these are really good. :)

    Elle, I'm glad to know I'm not alone here. :)

    Catherine, thank you for your visit! I find him really creepy, too. :)

    Sarah, you do! :)

    Deb, I'm sure your brownies will turn out wonderful!

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  22. AnonymousJune 12, 2008

    Now that's what I call a good idea: putting WHITE chocolate (also my favourite :) in a brownie! That must must be so delicious!

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  23. AnonymousJune 12, 2008

    Delicious! It really was the first word to come to mind when I saw these. Yum!

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  24. These look so good. The balance of the white chocolate with the brownie looks great.

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  25. I agree- Tom Cruise = weird.:D
    The brownies look great. I don't know why, I've never tried using white chocolate for baking.

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  26. I'm with you - about the brownies and Tom Cruise! Those brownies look just wonderful! I sure could go for one right now. ;)

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  27. Yum! They sound like a little piece of heaven!

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  28. Oh! Shiver me timbers! Those look divine. I love brownies.

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  29. AnonymousJune 13, 2008

    I have the same word association - Brownies - delicious.
    They are my downfall!

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  30. AnonymousJune 13, 2008

    Tom Cruise definitely makes me think "weird" along with "scary" lol. These brownies however make me think "yum" which I definitely do not think around Mr Cruise (although I still love Top Gun, I like to think of him there as pre-weirdness)

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  31. I agree about Tom Cruise: WEIRD is the word!

    These brownies look delicious. I too love almonds & white chocolate so will try these. Hadn't thought of this combination, it does sound interesting. And the pictures are lovely.

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  32. You totally had my interest at 'chocolate'... but it kept getting better and better!

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  33. Linda, I agree! Great idea, indeed. :)

    Dayna, I'm glad to know you agree with me! ;)

    Katie, thank you, darling!

    TBC, you should!

    Susan, they were gone so fast you would not believe it, sweetie. :)

    Steph, tks, dear!

    Emiline, thank you!

    Hi, Charlotte, brownies are irresistible, you are so right. Tks for your visit!

    Lorraine, scary defines him perfectly, too, I agree!

    Cassandra, I'm sure you would like these!

    A fork..., I'm glad you think so!

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  34. The white chocolate looks really good in those brownies!

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  35. Great looking brownies! I love taking an original and spicing it up with other ingredints!

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  36. Tom Cruise+ wierd LOL that's hysterical. I want this brownie NOW. They look so rich yummmmm

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  37. YUMMMMMM it looks like even tom cruise would love these! he should take them back to his lair and share them with his imaginary alien pals.

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  38. only 9?! those are some huge brownies! not a nut fan but i do love white chocolate :)

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