Chestnut Brownies {gluten-free}

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These Chestnut Brownies are dark, fudgy and deliciously nutty. An easy festive brownie which is topped with an incredibly light whipped chestnut ganache.

this recipe

Think chestnuts roasting on an open fire then baked into irresistible brownies for a festive treat. There is something so warming and comforting about chestnuts and I love including them in my festive baking.

The creamy nutty flavour of the chestnut flour is chocolate’s soulmate. It gives the brownie such depth and their intense courtship is lightened up with the whipped chestnut ganache which you should skip at your peril.

What makes these Chestnut Brownies so darn good?

• The only flour involved here is chestnut flour which lends a rich nutty vibe to the brownies.
• A touch of melted dark chocolate but mainly cocoa give the perfect balance of fudginess without the brownie being too wet.
• The Chestnut Ganache is exceedingly light providing a lovely contrast to the fudgy brownies.

How do you make Chestnut Brownies?

1. Melt the dark chocolate and butter together.
2. Sift the sugars with the chestnut flour, cocoa powder and salt.
3. Mix the melted chocolate with the dry ingredients.
4. Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract.
5. Pour into a lined and greased 8 inch square baking tin and bake for 30 minutes at 180°C/160°C fan/gas mark 4.
6. Remove the brownie from the oven and leave to cool in the tin.
7. Remove the brownie from the tin and line the tin with cling film. Place the brownie back on top .
8. Make the ganache by heating the cream and sugar. Stir into finely chopped chocolate to melt.
9. Pour into the blender with vanilla and chestnut puree and blend until smooth.
10. Pour over the brownie then set in the freezer for 15 minutes.
11. Remove from the tin, cut into squares and enjoy!

Baker’s Tips

• The sifting of the dry ingredients cannot be skipped. You don’t want the ingredients clumping and this ensures perfect mixing.
• If you don’t have the time or inclination then you don’t need to make the ganache as the brownies are delicious without. But it is Christmas and in the taste test my 4 year old was clamouring for the ‘icing ones.’
• The Chestnut Puree I buy is from Merchant Gourmet which you can usually get on offer in most supermarkets at this time of year.
• You could add chopped chestnuts into the brownie batter for even more intense chestnut flavour and added texture.
• You can use double or heavy cream in the ganache if you can't find whipping cream. Whipping cream is a little lighter which is why I prefer it but any cream here will do the job.
• Using the cling film means the ganache does not set to the side of the tin and the brownie can be lifted out easily.

What Else?

• Storage - These brownies are best kept in the fridge due to fresh cream in the ganache. Do keep uncut if you are not the serving the brownies straight away.
• Shelf Life - The brownies can keep up to 3 days in the fridge.

Do you want more brownie recipes? Then check out:

Almond Flour Brownies
Milk Chocolate Peanut Caramel Brownies
Choc Chip Cookie Dough Brownies
Black Sesame Peanut Butter Brownies

If you make Chestnut Brownies then please leave a comment below and/or give the recipe a rating. If you then go on to use this recipe as a launch pad for your own baking creation then I’d also love it if you’d share it and tag me on Instagram. It is so lovely for me to see your versions and variations of my recipes.

Chestnut Brownies

Georgina Hartley

These Chestnut Brownies are dark fudgy and  deliciously nutty. An easy festive brownie which is topped with an incredibly light whipped chestnut ganache.

5 from 3 votes

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Resting Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 2 hours hrs

Course Dessert

Cuisine British

Servings 12 brownies

Calories 479 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 100 g dark chocolate
• ▢ 150 g unsalted butter
• ▢ 150 g caster sugar
• ▢ 150 g soft light brown sugar
• ▢ 180 g chestnut flour
• ▢ 60 g cocoa powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 3 eggs - lightly beaten
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chestnut Ganache

• ▢ 150 g dark chocolate
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 200 g whipping cream
• ▢ 2 teaspoons soft light brown sugar
• ▢ 150 g chestnut puree
• ▢ ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

 

• Pre-heat oven to 180°C/160°C fan/gas mark 4 and line and grease an 8 inch square cake tin.
• Melt the dark chocolate with the butter in a bain marie or a glass bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Once melted remove from the heat.
• In a separate bowl sift together the sugars with the chestnut flour, cocoa powder and salt.
• Pour the melted chocolate into the bowl and mix well with the dry ingredients.
• Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract until completely combined.
• Pour the brownie mixture into the pan and bake for 30 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and leave the brownies to cool in the tin.
• Once the brownies are cool, remove from the tin.
• Line the tin with a two sheets of cling film criss- crossed along the bottom and up the sides of the tin.
• Place the uncut brownie back into the tin on top of the cling film. Then prepare the ganache.

Chestnut Ganache

• Chop the dark chocolate into small pieces, put into a large bowl with the salt and set aside.
• Pour the cream and sugar into a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Stir through to make sure all the sugar is dissolved. Rest for 1 minute so as not to scorch the chocolate.
• Pour the cream over the chocolate pieces and salt and stir together so the chocolate melts completely into the cream and turns thick and glossy.
• Pour the chocolate cream, the chestnut puree and the vanilla into a blender and mix until the ganache is thick and completely smooth.
• Pour the ganache on top of the brownie base in the tin, swirling lightly with a palette knife so the ganache is evenly spread.
• Place in the freezer for 15 minutes for the ganache to set.
• Remove from the freezer. Lift the brownie out of the tin using the cling film. Peel the cling film away from the bottom of the brownie and cut into even pieces.

Notes

• I always use medium eggs in my recipes
• I have used both 70% and 54% dark chocolate for these brownies and both work well so use whichever percentage dark chocolate you have to hand.
• Always sieve brown sugar and cocoa powder – both have a tendency to clump.
• You can use double or heavy cream in the ganache if you can't find whipping cream. Whipping cream is a little lighter which is why I prefer it but any cream here will do the job.
• I use Merchant Gourmet's Chestnut Puree which is usually on offer in most supermarkets at this time of the year.
• You do need to blend the ganache so that the chestnut puree is incorporated as smoothly as possible.
• Keep these brownies in the fridge otherwise the ganache might spoil. They keep for up to 3 days.

Nutrition

Calories: 479kcalCarbohydrates: 56gProtein: 6gFat: 28gSaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 91mgSodium: 182mgPotassium: 335mgFiber: 5gSugar: 34gVitamin A: 637IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 60mgIron: 4mg

Have you tried this recipe?Head to the comment section and let me know what you think!