Fudgy Chestnut Brownies
Almond meal seems to be the most common replacement for wheat flour in gluten free cakes. It gives the bulk, structure and moisture needed to make them good to eat. Along with gluten intolerance, close family members are also allergic to almonds and intolerant of dairy products derived from cow’s milk. At the risk of repeating the same five cakes on rotation at the annual birthday celebrations, I am on a constant lookout for new recipes that fit the dietary constraints, but are as deliciously indulgent as a birthday cake should be, not only for the guest of honour, but for the remainder of the party guests as well.
Recently I was reading a reprise post by Celia at Fig Jam and Lime Cordial which included a link to this lip smackingly gorgeous Fudgy Chestnut Flour Brownie. Having recently purchased Italian chestnut flour, I wasted no time on a trial run. It was a winner.
Miss E, Soon To Be Ten, had asked for chocolate cake to celebrate her upcoming birthday, “a new recipe would be nice.” I came up trumps with this super luscious, slightly sticky, rich chocolate brownie thus maintaining my “super Nanna” status. I cut it into squares, piled it high on a plate and stuck a single candle in to top. A great way to attain double digits.
90g unsalted butter (or margarine if dairy free)
225g semisweet chocolate min 50% cacao, no milk solids
150g castor sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1ā4 cup chestnut flour, sifted
1 cup roughly chopped walnuts
Preheat oven to 160C fan forced.
Line a 20cmX20cm slab tin with baking paper.
Melt the butter over a low heat in a medium saucepan, then add the chocolate and stir until the chocolate has melted and is smooth.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the sugar and vanilla.
Stir in the eggs one at a time, incorporating completely
Add the sifted chestnut flour and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture is smooth and glossy.
Stir in the walnuts.
Tip the batter into the lined tin and smooth out the top.
Bake for 25 minutes. You should feel some resistance when you touch the centre. Do not over bake.
Allow the brownies to cool completely before lifting them out of the pan.
Cut into squares and store in an airtight box, but do not refrigerate.
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29 comments on “Fudgy Chestnut Brownies”
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Please Pass the Recipe by Sandra Gay is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License.
Please Pass the Recipe 
got it – thanks š
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Enjoy….
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What a great idea! And, except for the chestnut flour, I want to say this recipe is very much like the Katherine Hepburn brownie recipe I used for years — really perfect. Thanks for the reminder to get some chestnut flour in– also for little pancakes. Hey… your blog. It is amazing, a true treasure trove.
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Aw thanks, I’m just loving doing my thing, but I’m especially enjoying connecting with like minded people like you. We have so much to learn from one another…
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That looks like a mighty decadent and oh-so-moist cake Sandra. Wow! I’m sure Miss E enjoyed! Happy belated to the little one!
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Thanks Lidia, we all enjoyed the brownies!
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They look so moist and fudgy!
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Exactly Shanna, very moist, very fudgy, very morish!
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Oh my God! this is cruel and unusual punishment. I only had an egg sandwich for lunch and I’m starving. I might have to make this right now…
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I bet it was no ordinary egg sandwich……
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Ok that just looks divine!! I must remember to take chestnut flour home with me. Have you made a Queen of nuts cake? It is chocolate, assorted nuts all folded into a meringue? It is very delicious
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I’ve turned the Queen of Nuts into a variety of different cakes, it’s always so good, but I think I’ve just about done it to death! These brownies really are excellent!
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Super Nanna. I will hang onto this recipe as I am keen to try the chestnut flour too. Our young chef Daisy ( 4 years old) has grown out of her dairy intolerance but we are yet to test almonds, after initial scares re peanuts. It is now a nut by nut test. all my cakes are usually made with almond meal too.
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Celia’s Brownies got a big tick of approval from everyone. It scares me, all these intolerances and allergies that have developed. Where will it end?
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I have Celia’s recipe bookmarked as well! I must say that they look fabulous!!
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Selma, they are fabulous, it’s an excellent Brownie recipe
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They sound gorgeous!
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Thanks Sophie, it’s as good as Brownie gets IMO
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mmmm! I still haven’t found any chestnut flour.
BTW there is a flourless chocolate cake on my blog that uses walnut meal š
http://dishnthekitchen.wordpress.com/2013/11/15/flourless-chocolate-coffee-and-walnut-cake/
It is still pretty rich though.
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Thanks Bernice, an Italian specialty food store should have chestnut flour.
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It looks soooo good. Now to work out how to do it without egg … then my whole family will be able to tuck in. Thanks fro sharing.
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Good luck! Egg free cooking must be a big challenge, but I’m sure you have learned lots of tricks to substitute
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I’m still learning. Each dish is so very different. But this one looks so very good I’ll have to try it.
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I have Celia’s recipe bookmarked, too! These look so scrumptious and if they passed the 10-year old test, then you are certainly super Nanna!
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Deb they were truly fabulous! I thought they might have been a bit rich for the birthday girl, but not so, she loved them!
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Sounds truly delicious! I have a chocolate loving gluten intolerant friend, and this sounds just the ticket. I guess it would freeze OK if I made a batch….
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I haven’t tried them in the freezer, but I think they’d be OK. I did chill them and regretted it. We were too impatient to wait for them to come back to room temperature, but they had been a whole lot better at room temperature.
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Oh yes, if frozen they would need to get right back to a nice warm!
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