This week, I’m writing to you from one of my favorite cities worldwide. I love many things about London – the food, the people, the architecture, but I also love the spontaneous bursts of rain (something we don’t get enough of in L.A., and I wish we did). While this week is less sightseeing and more work, I’ve found time to relax. It’s also nice to get the chance to take a break from the construction work back home. No more drilling sounds for a few days! If you’ve got recommendations for places for me to see and eat, leave a note in the comment below; thank you! I don’t care about Valentine’s Day much, but I love that chocolate seems synonymous. As someone who can never remember when National or International Chocolate days are, February 14th and its connection to chocolate are deeply ingrained in my mind. Each year for Valentine’s Day, I make something chocolate-themed, and this year was no different, except I planned a week early. Before I went off on my trip to London, I made us a batch of hazelnut-loaded brownies. Brownies are personal, and everyone has their own preferred flavors and textures. These brownies contain cocoa and my favorite nut – hazelnuts/filberts because honestly, IMO, that is the most irresistible combination. Serve me any chocolate and hazelnut concoction, and I will clean the plate. It’s also one of my favorite combinations when I make Chocolate Chip Cookies, and if I could, I would eat them with a steaming cup of hazelnut-flavored cocoa (this might sound like a sensory overload, but I can’t help it, I love it). I like my brownies with a thin crust on top that shatters easily and a soft, moist interior that is slightly fudgy yet cakey. Unfortunately, brownies are notorious for drying out once they cool. Luckily, there’s a way to avoid this. I’ve used superfine baking or caster sugar; their smaller crystal size increases moisture absorption and retention. Consequently, the brownies don’t dry out as fast. Sugar loves water and acts as a hygroscopic agent by drawing water closer. You might think of using confectioner’s or powdered sugar because it has a much smaller particle size, but there’s a problem. Confectioner’s sugar is usually mixed with anticaking agents that block this water-loving property of sugar to help increase its shelf life. The anticaking agents in the confectioner’s sugar will affect the brownie’s texture and make it drier. You’re better off using the confectioner’s sugar to decorate the brownie by giving it a light dusting. When baking with chocolate or cocoa, the baking temperatures are kept slightly lower, and it is better to bake the dessert in a lighter-colored pan than a darker one. Darker objects absorb heat much faster than lighter-colored ones, and the desert risks burning quickly. To avoid this, bake the cocoa and chocolate-based desserts at a lower temperature, like 325F/165C and use either glass, white enamel coated, or light-colored baking dishes (I use aluminum pans for all my baking needs, they work efficiently). This will reduce the risk of burning and charring. These brownies aren’t too sweet; they’re like a sweet kiss of fragrant cocoa and hazelnuts with which I want to wrap myself. Cut into squares and enjoy every bite with joy. No reviews Cooking oil spray 6 Tbsp/85 g unsalted butter, cubed 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil 1 tsp hazelnut extract 1 ¼ cup/250 g superfine/caster sugar ¾ cup/60g unsweetened cocoa ¼ tsp fine sea salt 2 cold large eggs ½ cup/70 g all-purpose flour 2 to 4 Tbsp/30 to 60ml cold water Comment * Name * Email * Website Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
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