Flourless Chocolate Brownies

This recipe came to my attention after my sister-in-law made a delicious first batch for her gluten free husband and father-in-law (my brother and dad).
The recipe is no closely guarded secret, but I think it should be. I have gained a love-hate relationship with these brownies, everyone loves them but I hate repeatedly making them! I need variety people, so I have become a sort of "keeper of the keys" with this recipe, but now it is time to reveal the secret (if you can call it that). Taken from the fabulous domestic goddess that is Nigella Lawson but I have added my own twists.
This brownie is an amazing feat being both immensely chocolatey and still gooey and fondant-like.

Be warned this recipe is not for the diet conscious.

Ingredients:

• 225 grams of dark chocolate (70% cocoa)


• 225 grams of unsalted butter


• 1/2 a vanilla pod (you will use the seeds)


• 225 grams of ground almonds


• 200 grams of caster sugar


• 3 eggs lightly beaten


• Optional - 75 grams of chopped hazlenuts (or any other nuts you may fancy)

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 180º C. Melt the chocolate and butter over a low heat in a heavy bottomed saucepan

• Once melted take the pan off the heat and add the sugar then the seeds from half the vanilla pod. Allow the mixture to cool a little


• Add the beaten eggs and a few spoonfuls of ground almonds (to stop the mixture curdling) and then gradually add the rest of the ground almonds. Add the hazelnuts if using.


• Pour mixture into a baking paper lined tin or make life easy and just use takeaway foil trays (much easier to remove the brownie from it too!).

• Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until just set and slightly cracked on top. At this point the centre of the brownie will still be nice and gooey. Remove and set aside to cool. Once cooled cut into squidgy squares and serve with a good quality vanilla or cream ice-cream. Occasionally I like to add some nice tart berries to counter-act the sweetness!

Oh and for those colder days I like to zap each square in the microwave for just 30 seconds, rendering it a gooey, oozing chocolatey mess that just screams to be eaten.