IMBB No. 10: Cookie Swap: Pierre Hermé's Moist & Nutty Brownies

Cookies! Did anyone say cookies? Yep, indeed, Jennifer from The Domestic Goddess did! And what a great idea! A cookie swap theme for the latest Is My Blog Burning event seemed not only timely but too much fun. So, I reached for one of my all time favorite dessert books, Chocolate Desserts by my pastry, chocolate and dessert super hero, Monsieur Pierre Hermé . Easy enough, no? Think again. Choosing the source was the easy part. The challenge came in choosing what to bake.

Should I got for his Chocolate Financiers or the beautifully bumpy Chocolate and Lemon Madeleines perhaps?  But, what about one of his Sablés recipes or those cute Chocolate Cigarettes. Should I tempt fate and go for the famous and so French Chocolate Macaroon? Decisions, decisions! 

Then, a thought. How about revisiting a favorite? What about the Chocolate Brownie recipe on page 61? Everyone loves chocolate and brownies are one of the most  decadent and popular bar cookies. Not to mention it is one of Mr. C's favorite treats. He can not refuse a good brownie:a  dense and ultra-chocolatey bar of cocoa and nut heaven.  But it can't be cakey, it has to be moist and gooey or he just won't eat it. Just like Pierre's.

No matter that this was going to be a messy endeavor. There was the business of the chopping ( I used my trusty Typhoon mezzaluna) and tempering of the chocolate. There was also the sifting of the flour, measuring everything carefully, buttering, lining and flouring the pan, making sure all the ingredients were of the utmost quality, just like Monsieur Hermé would use.

By the time the timer went off  the whole place was perfumed by the scent of the brownies. And on a cold day like today that is one of the most welcomed smells in any house. Something in the oven is good enough but chocolate anything is even better.

That being said, snapping the picture in time proved to be the real tricky part. The brownies were coming out way past 4 pm which meant I would lose my light if I waited for them to cool all the way. So,  in my rush to get the still warm brownies cut,  plated and photographed (don't try this at home kids!) I ended up with imperfect squares and the odd rectangle complete with rough edges and a few crumbling bits. But how delicious!

Moist & Nutty Brownies

"So that the flavor of the nuts really stands out, I toast them and cut them into big pieces. And while I often use walnuts, the traditional nut for this bar cookie, I am just as likely to make brownies with pecans. I like the way the pecans' sweetness blends with the chocolate." Pierre Hermé

Ingredients:
5 ounces (145 grams) bittersweet chocolate (preferably Valrhona Caraïbe, finely chopped)
2-1/4 sticks (9 ounces; 260 grams) unsalted butter (at room temperature)
4 large eggs, at room temperature (lightly beaten)
1-1/4 cups (250 grams) sugar (I use Baker's Sugar which is superfine)
1 cup (140 grams) all-purpose flour (I use White Lily)
1-1/4 cups (5 ounces; 145 grams) pecans or walnuts, lightly toasted and very coarsely chopped (keep the pieces large)

*I used pecans.

Instructions:

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Butter a 9 x 12-inch (24 x 30-cm) baking pan, fit the bottom with a piece of parchment paper, butter the paper, and then dust the inside of the pan with flour; tap out the excess and set the pan aside.

Melt the chocolate in a bowl over — not touching — simmering water or in the microwave oven. Remove the chocolate from the heat and leave it on the counter to cool slightly. The chocolate should be warm to the touch (no more than 115°F (45°C), as measured on an instant-read thermometer when you mix it with the other ingredients.

Working in a bowl with a flexible rubber spatula (or in a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment), beat the butter until it is smooth and creamy but not airy. Stir in the chocolate. Gradually add the eggs, then add the sugar, followed by the flour and nuts, stirring only until each ingredient is incorporated. (If the mixture separates when you add the eggs, use a whisk to blend the batter and continue with the whisk when you add the sugar; go back to the spatula or paddle for the flour and nuts.) This is not a batter to be beaten or aerated.

Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 19 to 22 minutes; at this point, the top of the cake will be dry, but a knife inserted in the center will come out wet. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and allow the brownies to cool for 20 to 30 minutes.

Run a blunt knife around the edges of the pan and unmold the brownies; remove the parchment paper and turn the brownies over to cool to room temperature right side up. When you are ready to serve, cut the brownies into 18 pieces.

Yield: Makes 18 brownies

Keeping: The brownies can be wrapped airtight and kept at room temperature for 2 days or frozen for up to 1 month.