Nutty Brownies

“If you care more about brownies than agroforestry, don’t turn away. Chestnut flour gives these brownies a vague nuttiness without any nut chunks, and gives you the chance to help reestablish vital ecosystems in the Northeast. It can also be used in place of flour in anything that doesn’t rely on gluten’s structure (they’re naturally gluten-free). If you think brownies aren’t particularly seasonal, may I recommend eating them with ice cream and crème fraîche caramel, or quite simply, taking them to the beach.”

By Clare de Boer

Ingredients:

  • 1 stick, 113 grams unsalted butter

  • 1 cup, 200 grams granulated sugar

  • ½ cup, 86 grams dark chocolate pieces or chips

  • 2 eggs

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • ½ teaspoon instant coffee granules, optional

  • ½ cup, 60 grams fine chestnut flour. Diligent bakers will sift the chestnut flour into the batter; the rest of us will try to beat out the lumps after the fact, and settle for a few in our brownies.

  • ½ cup, 47 grams unsweetened cocoa powder

  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1⁄8 teaspoon baking soda

Steps:

  1. Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Lay a piece of parchment paper in an 8-inch baking tin and press it into the corners.

  2. Melt the butter together with the sugar in a small saucepan, stirring a few times. Turn off the heat when the mixture simmers, and add the chocolate chips. Stir to melt. Pour the mix into a large bowl and let it cool enough that it won’t cook the egg.

  3. Add the eggs, vanilla, and instant coffee. Whisk. Sift in the chestnut flour, then add the cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda. Stir to combine, then pour the batter into the lined tin. Tilt it around to encourage the batter into the corners.

  4. Bake the brownies until a gentle pat in the middle feels set — if not a little squidgy — around 30 minutes. Allow them to cool a little before slicing — you’ll taste the chocolate and nuttiness better when they’re not hot.