My friend Karen hates clutter.
Whenever our kids had a school project, she would go out and buy all the necessary craft supplies. Once the task was completed, any excess materials were discarded immediately, rather than stored for future use. And when the next diorama project came up (you have no idea how grateful I am that we don’t have to do those anymore), Karen would get back into the car and go shopping.
I am the complete opposite of this. I like to have things on hand, ready for any contingency (or diorama) that might arise. This is especially true in the kitchen, where I’ll often pick up ingredients with no specific recipe in mind.
Such was the case with the French hazelnut praline I bought a couple of months ago…
I also had a bag of cacao nibs in the pantry and thought it might be nice to combine the two in a brownie. I started with a Nick Malgieri recipe, and tweaked it to incorporate the praline by reducing the sugar and altering the methodology slightly…
- 225g (8oz) unsalted butter, cut into chunks
- 250g (9oz) dark (bittersweet) chocolate – I used Callebaut 70% cacao callets
- 210g (1 cup) dark brown sugar
- 165g (¾ cup) white sugar
- 4 medium (55g) free range eggs
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract (I used homemade)
- 190g (1¼ cups) plain (AP) flour, sifted
- 60g (½ cup) cacao nibs
- 110g (¼ cup) hazelnut praline paste
1. Heat oven to 175C (350F) or 160C (320F) with fan. Line a 23cm x 33cm (9″ x 13″) baking pan with parchment paper.
2. In a large pyrex bowl, melt the butter and chocolate together in the microwave, using short bursts on high, stirring frequently. Be careful not to scorch the chocolate.
3. Beat the brown sugar in the large bowl of an electric mixer to break up any lumps. Add one egg, and beat on low to combine, then add the remaining eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the white sugar, salt and vanilla extract.
4. Stir in the melted butter and chocolate, then gently fold in the flour and ¼ cup of the cacao nibs (reserve the rest for later).
5. Scrape half the batter into the prepared pan. With a teaspoon, drizzle the hazelnut praline over the surface of the batter, making pretty patterns as you go. Carefully pour the remaining batter over the top. Evenly sprinkle over the remaining cacao nibs.
6. Bake for 30 minutes until firm, then place the pan on a wire rack and allow the brownies to cool completely. Nick’s original recipe says to refrigerate the brownies for several hours before cutting, but mine were firmer and didn’t need that (I suspect it’s because I used smaller eggs – also, my metric conversion for a cup of flour is heavier than his).
Note: the original recipe doesn’t include hazelnut praline. It uses an extra ¼ cup of brown sugar, an extra ¼ teaspoon salt, and large eggs.
These were delicious – the praline flavour is subtle but noticeable, and the nibs add both a satisfying crunch and a hint of bitterness. It’s a lovely big bake too – the slab cut into thirty-six pieces, so there was ample to share around!
Fig Jam and Lime Cordial 
Wow, those look delicious.
Thanks Greg! :)
They look great Celia – very clever of you to have adapted the recipe so successfully! I’m an absolute sucker for picking up bits and pieces that look interesting for the kitchen, but am less successful in translating them into something interesting to eat!
Caroline, thank you! I DO end up with all sorts of things in my pantry – there’s still rice paper which I’m sure is just going to end up going to the weevils.. ;-)
Those look Wonderful!
I can’t even think of making them- because I would be totally Eating them!
Thanks Heidi, I really liked them! They weren’t overly sweet, which was a big bonus, and it was nice to find a use for the praline paste.. :)
i remember the praline and what a great use!! i should look out for some next time
Claire, I think these might work with Nutella too?
Celia, they are to die for! Like you, I often pick up interesting ingredients without a specific use in mind but one day their moment arrives and they are just there’re waiting – like your praline and cocoa nibs! Must now search for a source of these though with the very specific use in mind of making your brownies! Happy Eating! E x
Ps I have just assembled a jar of vodka and split vanilla pods as per your recipe to make my own vanilla extract – it’s already gone a fabulous tawny colour and I can’t wait to try it once it’s had its full time for infusion. Such a great idea – thank you so much for sharing it.
Elizabeth, that’s great about the vanilla, thanks for letting me know! I haven’t used anything else for years now! And I hope you find the nibs and praline paste – both very yummy ingredients! :)
They look delicious, I’m envious of the sharees! What exactly is the hazelnut praline? I think of praline as being a crunchy toffee affair.
Thanks Jo! I believe the praline paste is ground up hazelnut praline – or at least a ground up mixture of roasted hazelnuts and sugar. It’s like Nutella without the chocolate, and surprisingly oily from the hazelnuts!
I collect interesting ingredients to, this week alone I bought black sesame paste, black garlic, a new type of peanut butter and fresh almonds straight off the tree! I do love your brownies Celia, what a lovely mix indeed and how delicious!
littlej is currently cluttering my kitchen with a diorama of a cross section of an industrial revolution coal mine, and this week she also had to sculpt a skull from polystyrene and cover it with script to depict symbolism and metaphor from Shakespeares Hamlet…. So much glue and mess and paper!!!
Becca, I really like black garlic, although it’s very expensive! And very curious to know what new sort of peanut butter you’ve come across? I know the mess involved with sculpting polystyrene – make sure she does it outside! :)
Believe it or not it’s just a new Kraft blend from the supermarket. I’ve never really liked the fresh ground stuff from the health food stall as it can taste ‘musty’ so I thought I’d try this new one. Our home grown peanuts didn’t produce enough to make our own- it has been such a harsh season!
I’m like you Celia, I need to have things on hand. Too many things if you ask Stud ;) but I know where it all is and can go to it when I need to. These brownies look soooo good!!
Nic, let’s not let Stud and my Pete have a conversation about this.. ;-)
Oh Celia I haven’t even had breakfast yet and you’ve got me craving brownies! I’m totally the same. I really could cater to any cooking or crafting emergency that could arise. I don’t like having to race out and buy stuff at the last minute.
Claire, Will and Pete wouldn’t let the two of us go shopping together – could you imagine what we’d come home with? ;-)
God – I’m sooo thrilled that those blasted school project and diorama days are over. The mess and hysteria never really seemed worth it – and then we had to transport the end results trying to get them to school in one piece!
I’m like you, in that I’m reluctant to chuck things in case I can use them in the future – however, I often forget a) that I bought them in the first place, or b) where I actually put them.
Except in the case of chocolate (in any of it’s forms) – I never forget that.
Amanda, someone who understands!! I didn’t buy enough pairs of shoes (ie shoeboxes) for all the damn dioramas we had to do when the boys were in primary school!
More delicious creativity from your kitchen Celia! This looks so moist and beautiful :)
Jane, thank you! They were very yummy!
Celia!!! The slab always does it for me!! and Hazelnut Praline is such a treasure to have on hand. I love filling my homemade puff pastry with it! You can’t just stop at one! And your Brownies recipe is next on the agenda! btw, “Jethro” says hello. :)
Lina, homemade puff, you’re very clever! Hope Jethro is going well! :)
Oh wow! I’ve not even had breakfast yet and I want to dive into these :)
Tandy, don’t tell, but it’s possible I might have actually had one or two for breakfast.. ;-)
Well done, Celia! I applaud your ability to create baked goods like this. If I want to be creative with baked goods, I’ll drive to a different bakery. I just don’t have the baking experience to try anything but what a recipe says. You, on the other hand, are constantly inventing and re-inventing so many wonderful treats. Too bad you don’t make deliveries. :)
Aah John, now wouldn’t that be nice? I’d happily trade you for fresh pasta! I’m surprised you don’t bake though – you’re so good at making things from scratch!
These look and sound delicious. The hazelnut praline paste is a new ingredient to me – I must look out for it over here!
Suelle, thanks! The paste is great fun to play with, hope you find some!
I hate clutter too, but I think I’d forgive it if presented with these :) So much better sounding than regular brownies!
Thanks Kari! My kitchen’s not cluttered per se, but I DO have a lot of storage space! :)
Awww they look beautiful. I love cocoa nibs. A few years ago I used to use them all the time and everyone thought I was being too smart. I love that you have used them here. delicious young lady!
You’ve always been cutting edge, love! :) See you soon! xx
oh my, they sound SO good! I’d clean any clutter for a bite of one of these.
Maureen, thank you! I’d share, there’s no need to clean! ;-)
Ooh, I was wondering what you were going to do with that praline. This sounds an excellent use for it and I can imagine they tasted super scrumptious. They certainly look really good. I like the inclusion of the nibs too to add additional texture and give a good contrast to the sweetness.
I went on a two hour chocolate course on Friday. It wasn’t hands on, but some great tempering tips. It seems as though my too cold in the winter, too hot in the summer kitchen is one of the main problems I have. BUT, I will persevere :)
Choc, I think you’d like this, as the cacao nibs stop the brownie from being overly sweet. I’ll email you about tempering! :)
Gorgeous! I really must attempt to get some cacao nibs – they sound inextricably far up my street!
Nick, they’re delicious, and very versatile! Hope you track some down!
Yummy. I’m a hoarder, I currently can’t open the cupboard door without something falling out. Perhaps I need to get innovative and use up some ingredients. Thanks for reminding me I need to buy more vodka for a top up of my essence. Xxx
One word – sumptuous!
One word : awesome !!!!!!!! xxxx
A really chewing it over post from you, I am glad you think it is all worthwhile, we find that growing our own food is enormously satisfying and wish we were able to do a bit more thsn we do. But having had to deal with a half dead mouse the other week and a poorly dog I don’t think I am cut out for livestock management. We are slowly but surely reducing the amount of meat we eat as we are not growing, well we are growing old (!) and apparently excess protein is a burden on the kidneys and ultimately gets stored as fat in the body. We eat too much of everything – that is our challenge to deal with, not the quality and range of foods. But hey, we all have our own worries and way of looking at our lives and it is always a great pleasure to read about you and yours. xx
Oops I think this is on the wrong post, I am sure I was reading the saving pennies one… iPhone problem maybe sorry, do delete, move whatever xx
Wow they look amazingly delicious! :-)