Hazelnut Fudge Brownies

Sometimes you have to take your tried and true classic in a different direction- appealing to the tastes of people who happen to like the combination of chocolate and hazelnuts, for example. The Nutella people made this flavor duo famous, as I’m sure you’re thinking right now. (Judging by the stir at a new local breakfast spot that’s putting massive jars of Nutella and a spoon on every table- asserting its importance as a condiment alongside ketchup and hot sauce- Nutella isn’t losing any popularity contests. I just hope that people don’t eat the Nutella from the spoon right out of the jar, in a double dip sort of way. Hm.)

So these brownies quite simply take the World’s Greatest Fudge Brownie and hazelnut them up. I am thinking now that the glaze over the top (which is made with hazelnut liqueur, of course) could be dumped in favor of a simple spread of Nutella, but that’s your call.

4 ounces chopped unsweetened chocolate

(the better the chocolate, the better the brownie)

3/4 cup unsalted butter

2 cups sugar

1 tablespoon instant espresso powder (optional)

1/4 cup hazelnut liqueur (Frangelico, for example) or 2 teaspoons hazelnut flavoring

2 teaspoons real vanilla (use the real stuff)

3 lightly beaten eggs

1 cup flour

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 cup lightly toasted hazelnuts

GLAZE:

1 cup (or more) confectioners’ sugar

1 teaspoon hazelnut liqueur (or 1/2 teaspoon hazelnut flavoring)

1 teaspoon milk or cream
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9 x 9 foil-lined pan.
2. Melt chocolate & butter in microwave for 2:15 minutes and stir.
3. Stir in sugar, then vanilla, then hazelnut liqueur/flavoring, then eggs, then salt, espresso powder (optional) then flour, then hazelnuts (hold back about 2 tablespoons to use as a garnish overtop the brownies).
4. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 33 – 36 minutes (until center is just set). Allow brownies to cool before pouring glaze overtop.
5. GLAZE: stir confectioners’ sugar with hazelnut liqueur/flavoring and milk; add more sugar to reach your preferred consistency. Pour over pan of brownies, and immediately sprinkle reserved toasted hazelnuts overtop.
6. Allow glaze to set & cut into squares.
7. Indulge.
Tips:
- Check out the original World’s Greatest Fudge Brownie post for tips on making these brownies, okay? (Stuff like choosing the chocolate, toasting the nuts, etc.)
- Chopping the nuts is way easier (in my opinion) with a large serrated knife, like a bread-cutting knife. Hazelnuts are little buggers because they are round and like to avoid the blade, unlike a pecan who will succumb nicely to the slice.
- Hazelnut skins should come off, because some say they taste bitter. I buy them with the dark little skins removed, but you can buy them with the skins on and roll them in between a kitchen towel to loosen the skins- just a bit of manual labor. Sorry.
- Liqueur vs. flavoring? The alcohol in the Frangelico will burn off while the brownies bake, so don’t worry that you’ll be boozing it up. If you do use flavoring instead, just use a good quality one and use less (since the flavoring is SO concentrated). You might need to add more or less in your next batch to get the flavor level you prefer.
- Glaze… like I said- you could take the topping in a direction (or skip entirely). Spread Nutella overtop, or beat Nutella with a bit of confectioners’ sugar to make for a stiffer icing that will set. You could add espresso to the confectioners’ sugar instead of the hazelnut/milk approach, to play up the coffee flavor… or you could just combine milk and confectioners’ sugar to keep it simple.
- Enjoy!
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July 11th, 2012 | More Sweets Please | No Comments | Tags: Brownies & Bars, Chocolate, Nuts