Ingredients

The following ingredients have 16 Servings
  • 2 and ½ tbsp* flax meal mixed with 4 tbsp / 60 ml  water
  • 280 g white plain cake (as opposed to bread) flour
  • 1/3 tsp baking soda
  • 7 and ½ tbsp cacao powder (I used raw)
  • 140 g dark chocolate (I used 70% cocoa)
  • 1/3 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp /30 ml hot espresso (or ½ tsp instant coffee and 2 tbsp water) + 50 ml boiling water (80 ml liquid)
  • 1 and ½ cup brown sugar (I used raw cane)
  • 110 ml / 7 and ½ tbsp mild olive oil
  • 50 ml hazelnut liqueur (I used Frangelico)
  • 50 g roasted hazelnuts, chopped
  • 2 tbsp* flaxseed meal mixed with 3 tbsp / 45 ml  water
  • 225 g white plain cake (as opposed to bread) flour
  • ¼ tsp baking soda
  • 6 tbsp cacao powder (I used raw)
  • 110 g dark chocolate (I used 70% cocoa)
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp /30 ml hot espresso (or ½ tsp instant coffee and 2 tbsp water) + 35 ml boiling water (65 ml liquid)
  • 1 and ¼ cup brown sugar (I used raw cane)
  • 90 ml / 6 tbsp mild olive oil
  • 40 ml hazelnut liqueur (I used Frangelico)
  • 50 g roasted hazelnuts, chopped

Instruction

  • Prepare flax eggs by mixing flax meal with water (it uses less water than traditionally prepared flax egg). Put into the fridge to chill while you get on with the other stuff.
  • Pre-heat the oven to 180° C / 350° F. Line 20 cm x 20 cm  / 8 inch x 8 inch baking tin with baking parchment. Make the baking parchment stick out of the tin so that you're able to remove the brownies from the tin as soon as they are out of the oven to stop them from cooking any further.
  • Weigh your flour, add baking soda and whisk the two together with a hand egg whisk. Set aside.
  • Chop your chocolate very finely. Put it into a big mixing bowl, with cacao and salt. Stir well.
  • Brew an espresso. In a small pot boil water (50 ml for tall brownies, 35 for flatter ones) + add 2 tbsp of hot espresso. Bring both to boil.
  • Pour boiling water & espresso into the chocolate, cacao and salt mixture. Stir with a spoon so that chocolate melts in hot liquid. Don't add any more water.
  • Add in sugar, flax egg (by this time it should turn all sticky) and olive oil. Using a hand mixer, blend the mixture until it's smooth. Add hazelnut liqueur and blend it into the mixture.
  • It's time to add flour and the baking soda mixture. Add little at a time and stir it into the chocolate mixture with a spoon. Do not be tempted to use an electric mixer as it will overwork the batter. Be careful not to overwork the batter or else gluten will develop in the flour and it will affect the texture of the brownies negatively. Stir just enough until there are no flour pockets anymore, but no more than that.
  • Spoon the batter (it will be rather thick) into a baking tray. Smooth it with a spatula and sprinkle chopped hazelnuts on top. Bake on middle shelf for about 23-25 minutes (taller version - I baked mine for 23 minutes) and 19-22 minutes (flatter version) depending how set you like your brownies. The top should be nice and crispy, but the inside gooey.