Pear and Brazil Nut Brownies

If you know about UK supermarket hierarchies, you can probably guess that Waitrose is the supermarket most likely to publish a brownie containing posh additions, adding pears and brazil nuts to the mix. I found this handwritten at a friend's place last week, tucked into their copy of the Riverford Farm Cook Book (amazing, will probably document later). Although it almost seems cliché and 'so 2001' now to be 'fascinated by recipes containing fruits and vegetables', I couldn't get these out of my mind. I love Brazil nuts, and pear studded dark chocolate was a revelation when I first discovered it in France, so these had to be winners.

Nice, tidy architect handwriting

The sweetness and fleshiness of the pears add a nice jube-like touch to the brownie, while brazils offer a slightly softened bite and distinct nuttiness. In all those years of the Pandoro brownie, I never thought I could be a convert to brownies with additions, but the success of Nigella Lawson's delicious and large yield recipe which is divinely fudgy and studded with walnuts has opened my eyes to the potential of added flavours.

 

I don't tend to keep a load of baking stuff on hand but having the basics, I worked it out to be an extra £6 for the pears, brazil nuts, eggs, butter and chocolate that I didn't have to hand. Not too shabby, although next time will splash out for slightly better chocolate as I did not heed the instruction to get 70% dark chocolate, and couldn't be bothered walking to big Tesco for it (regret). If you have a crack at this, by no means would you need to get posh chocolate but I would recommend that 70% cocoa solids is required (i.e. follow the instructions).

 

Recipe

 

250g butter

200g 70% dark chocolate

250g caster sugar

3 large eggs

175g self raising flour (use plain flour and add about a teaspoon and a half of baking powder)

3 teaspoons cocoa

2 ripe pears, peeled and diced

100g brazil nuts, chopped

 

Preheat oven to 180 / gas mark 4. Grease a 20 x 30 slice tin or brownie pan.

 

1. Melt butter and chocolate together over a low heat.

2. In a separate bowl, beat eggs and sugar together until light and fluffy, then slowly pour in the melted butter and chocolate.

3. Fold in the flour and cocoa, then stir in the pear and brazil nuts.

4. Bake in greased tin for about 35 minutes, the trick being not to over cook so that it retains some fudginess.

 

Fresh out of the oven.
Would be better if this was nice and dark brown from full 70% chocolate

 

In the chalet, we served brownies with ice cream on top, though obviously not necessary.
You can see the delicious morsels of pear in the brownie.
Again, good quality vanilla ice cream would be the best accompaniment if using for dessert - I just used whatever we had here to tart up the plain plate a bit.