Ingredients
100g pistachio, nuts, shelled
100g butter, cut into cubes
130g dark chocolate, (70 per cent cocoa solids), broken into pieces
2 free-range eggs, separated
225g caster sugar
100g plain flour, sieved
½ tbsp vanilla extract
½ orange, zested
Overview
you will also need a 20cm square baking tin
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/200°C/gas mark 6. Grease the baking tin with a little butter or a brush of vegetable oil.
- Spread the pistachio nuts over a baking tray and toast them in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove and allow to cool. Gently crush the nuts using a pestle and mortar, or roughly chop.
- Place a heatproof bowl over a shallow pan of gently simmering water (to make a bain-marie). Add the butter and chocolate to the bowl and allow them to melt slowly.
- In a bowl whisk the egg yolks to a nice creamy texture, and in a separate dry, clean bowl whisk the egg whites until they form stiff peaks.
- Combine the sugar and flour in a mixing bowl. Then add the melted chocolate-and-butter mixture, followed by the egg yolks, vanilla extract, orange zest and half of the crushed toasted pistachio nuts. Mix well to combine. Finally, fold in the egg whites. Transfer the mixture to a lined and greased baking tin and bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes. When cooked, the brownies should be crisp on top and soft on the inside.
- Allow to cool and then slice. Garnish with the remaining pistachio nuts.