miso, smoked salt & cacao
nib brownies.
90 mins I Serves 12
This recipe is my most closely guarded secret. If you do elect to make it, take your first bite, and pause - take time to reflect on just how lucky you are that I’ve decided to be oh-so generous in sharing them with you. Decadent, umami-rich, and impossibly sophisticated, I like to think of these brownies as my first truly grown-up bake. They’re the type of dessert you can't help but want to share with a friend or bring to a dinner party of strangers, because eating them alone without a witness seems like an inglorious waste of the smug self-satisfaction and showering of compliments that you can bask in for possessing such a mature palette. The texture resembles a thick-set fudge rather than a cake, reminiscent of primary school fridge bars that ooze nostalgia, but the flavour is undeniably adult. ​These benefit from being left to cool in the fridge for 12 hours after baking, or as ​long as you can manage (or rather, resist).
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Serving suggestion: straight out of the tray with a spoon.
Ingredients
130g caster sugar
40g cocoa powder
70g plain flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp smoked sea salt
3 medium eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste
111g butter
55g brown rice miso paste
120g chopped dark chocolate, 70%
A handful of cacao nibs (to sprinkle)
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Although more elusive to hunt down in a supermarket aisle, black cocoa powder would make a great addition to this recipe, as its its less sweet, slightly bitter flavour profile suits the nuttiness of miso.
On miso: I love this fermented flavour-bomb for puds. In this recipe, it balances perfectly with the nutty depth of brown butter, and the bittersweet crunch of cacao. I've chosen a dark miso because it stands up against the richly chocolately batter without being overpowered and losing its self. Feel free to sub white miso, which is naturally sweeter due to its higher rice koji versus soy bean content and shorter ferment, and very strongly reminiscent of a salted caramel in my opinion.
Store these in the fridge rather than cupboard for best results.
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Notes
tags: vegetarian bakes
Method
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In a medium saucepan, melt your butter on a low-medium heat. Continue to stir as you brown your frothy butter; you're looking for the colour of the white milk solids to toast and become a golden brown. As soon as the butter smells nutty (about 7 minutes), take it off the heat.
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To the same pan, add your chopped chocolate and mix until melted. Spoon in your miso paste, sugar, cocoa powder and vanilla essence.
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Beat in your eggs one at a time until smooth and glossy.
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Sift in your baking powder and flour, tablespoon by tablespoon.
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To a greaseproof-paper-lined tray 20cm x 20cm, pour in your batter. Scatter over your cacao nibs and place the tray in the fridge for 3-8 hours (the longer the better).
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Preheat your oven to 180°C fan.
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Sprinkle over some smoked sea salt to your brownie mix and bake for 10-12 minutes, until a thin crust is just formed.
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Cool to room temperature before chilling in the fridge for 1-12 hours until fudgey. Serve with a dollop of greek yoghurt, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and another sprinkle of smoked salt.