Brazil nut – Feasting Is Fun

Hello, have I baked up something delicious for you? If you love Chocolate and Brazil Nuts then you will be Nuts About Brownies!

Brazil Nut studded, fudgey Chocolate - you will love Nuts About Brownies! — Brazil Nut studded, fudgey Chocolate – you will love Nuts About Brownies!

This Brownie recipe is so easy as it’s all made in one saucepan. Come on we so love a recipe that doesn’t involve a mountain of washing up? Not only that, you line your baking dish/tin with foil – so even that stays clean! Anything to make life easier is very welcome around here!

Go big or stay small, each bite is chocca full of nuts!

Nigella is the inspiration behind this recipe. I’ve tinkered with it a little bit and I’d like to think she would approve. I’ve used Brazil nuts in these Nuts About Brownies, but Walnuts and Pecans work very well too. Whatever nuts I add, these Brownies disappear very quickly in our house!!!

I'm Nuts About Brownies - are you? — I’m Nuts About Brownies – are you?

Recipe : Makes 9 – 15 Brownies

150g/5oz Unsalted Butter

300g/10oz Dark Brown Muscavado Sugar

75g/2.5oz Cocoa Powder

150g/5oz Plain White Flour

1tsp Sodium Bicarbonate

1/4tsp Salt

4 Large Eggs – pref free range

2tsp Vanilla Extract

150g/5oz Brazil Nuts

150g/Dark Chocolate (70%)

Method :

Preheat oven to 175C/160C fan.

Line a 30cm x 20cm (12″ x 8″) baking tin with aluminium foil. Ensure the dish is at least 5cm (2″) deep.

Place the butter and sugar into a large, heavy bottomed pan... — Place the butter and sugar into a large, heavy bottomed pan…

Melt the butter and sugar gently over a low heat.

Add the cocoa to the melted butter/sugar, off the heat.

Stir in the cocoa until thoroughly combined.

Mix thoroughly - the mixture will be quite dry and claggy at this point - don't worry!! — Mix thoroughly – the mixture will be quite dry and claggy at this point – don’t worry!!

Crack the eggs into a jug. Add the vanilla extract and mix – don’t whisk as you don’t want to incorporate air.

Add the egg/vanilla mixture to the cooled contents of the pan.

Mix thoroughly, until you have a smooth, silky, brownie batter.

Pour the brownie mixture into the foil lined tin.

Chop the nuts and chocolate into large chunks.

Sprinkle the chopped nuts and chocolate evenly over the top of the brownie batter.

Now the next step is important but might sound a bit odd – rap the baking tin hard against the worktop 3-4 times. This brings any bubbles to the surface, we want our brownies to be dense and fudgey, not light and airy like cake! Rapping the tin also settles the chocolate chunks and nuts into the batter.

Place the brownies in the oven and bake for 20 minutes. The brownies are cooked when the top is set, but there should still be a little bit of wobble in the middle. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 30 minutes.

Your Nuts About Brownies are nearly ready to eat!! Remember it's always better to slightly undercook them, that ensures fudgey, gooey, yumminess!! — Your Nuts About Brownies are nearly ready to eat!! Remember it’s always better to slightly undercook them, that ensures fudgey, gooey, yumminess!!

Remove the brownies from the tin by simply lifting out the foil. Place on a cooling rack, pulling the foil away from the sides of the cooked brownie. Congratulate yourself on one less item to wash up!!!!!

Once cooled cut into squares. 9 big ones or 15 smaller ones. Pour yourself a large glass of milk and get ready to taste Nuts About Brownies!

These brownies are so simple to make and bake. 30 minutes from start to taking them out of the oven – perfect for when you have a chocolate brownie craving! Or is it just me that gets those???

Would you share your brownie?

What foods are off limits when it comes to sharing?

Sammie x

Hi there, have I got a FEAST for you, Chocolate Chip Brazil Nut Buns. Delicious, easy to make and very more-ish!

The best Chocolate Chip Brazil Nut Buns.

Ooh are these yummy! Made with all butter puff pastry these Chocolate Chip Brazil Nut Buns could not be easier to make and disappear fast as soon as they’re out of the oven.

The perfect portion of deliciousness! Gooey chocolate inner, crispy, crunchy, nutty topped buns.

It may be worth making a double batch of these, as they make the perfect portable gift, just make sure you have enough to go around as well!!!

Recipe : Makes 12 Buns

For the topping :

100g/4oz Brazil Nuts

100g/4oz Unsalted Butter – melted

75g/3oz Dark Brown Sugar

For the Buns :

1 Packet 450g/1lb All Butter Puff Pastry – thawed if frozen.

1tbsp Melted Butter

1/2 tsp Freshly Grated Nutmeg

100g/4oz Dark Brown Sugar

225g/8oz Milk Chocolate Chips

100g/4oz Brazil Nuts

Method :

Preheat the oven to 200C (185C fan).

You will need a deep muffin/cupcake tin to bake these buns in. No pre-greasing of the tin is required.

The topping of these Chocolate Chunk Brazil Nut Buns is actually placed in the bottom of the muffin tin. When the buns are turned out, the bottom becomes the top!!!

For the topping mix the melted butter and sugar together. Add in the roughly chopped Brazil nuts.

The roughly chopped Brazil nuts, on the left are for the topping. The finer chopped nuts, on the right, are for inside the buns.

Place about a teaspoon of the butter/sugar/nut mixture into each muffin holder in the tin.

This sweet, nutty mixture will become the topping for the Chocolate Chip Brazil Nut Buns!

Now for the buns :

My package of puff pastry came in 2 blocks. If you have 1 block, roll out the pastry to twice the width.

One half of the pastry block. Placed on a floured surface.

Roll out the pastry to 26cm/10″ wide by 29cm/11″ long.

Brush the rolled out pastry with melted butter.

Grate the nutmeg directly over the buttered pastry. If using ground nutmeg, sprinkle evenly over the pastry.

Freshly grated nutmeg is sooo much better if you have it.

Sprinkle first the sugar, then the chocolate chips and chopped Brazil nuts evenly over the pastry (only use half of the amounts if rolling out half of the pastry, as I have).

An even layer of sugar, chocolate and nuts spread over the rolled pastry.

Use both hands to ensure the pastry is evenly rolled.

Finishing with the pastry seam underneath.

Trim either end and then cut the pastry log in half.

Divide each half into 3 (for half a pastry block), or 6 if you've rolled out the entire 450g pastry block. — Divide each half into 3 (for half a pastry block), or 6 if you’ve rolled out the entire 450g pastry block.

Place each nutty, chocolate portion on top of the butter/sugar/chopped nuts in the muffin tin.

Ooh only 30 minutes away from baking deliciousness!!

Place the muffin tin into the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes until golden and bubbling.

Remove from the oven, look at how scrummy these Chocolate Chip Brazil Nut Buns.

Allow to cool for 5 minutes and then place a baking tray over the buns. Flip the muffin tin over and prepare to be amazed!

It works every time! Perfect Brazil Nut topped buns.

Allow to cool as the chocolate and sugar in the centre are very hot. The perfect time to put the kettle on, invite round family, friends and neighbours and prepare to FEAST on these amazingly yummy Chocolate Chip Brazil Nut Buns!

If you try this recipe I’d love to here how you get on and your thoughts?

Sammie x