almond

As Black as Brown can be

Gluten Free Double Chocolate Brownie

Have you seen black chocolate? Even the darkest of chocolates is a deep, very deep brown, the color of my eyes. Yet, when you bake it, it can come close to a blackness unsuspected. And, that is the deep richness that I can fall in love with again and again.

But, even more than that, I have an amorous desire for brownies. My knees go weak at the sight of them. It is pure lust, unadulterated. I love the melty, fudginess of it and the sheer decadence and naughtiness they represent.

Gluten Free Double Chocolate Brownie

Whenever, I make brownies, I tweak things to enhance just those qualities, without adding more butter or fat. I have found that using nut flours intensifies the density and hence the allure of the brownie. Recently, I have been cohorting with them a little more than usual with the excuse of concocting recipes to use the almond pulp that I get as a consequence of making almond milk. One of the best ways, I have found is using it in granola. I will put up a recipe for that later. Another is making these brownies!

You may wonder what the hoopla is about. Not only are these intensely rich, chocolately and fudge like, they are also insanely moist and stay that way for at least 3 days. I don't know if they stay longer because they don't last longer here. Typical brownies start becoming crusty and stale losing that soft dense center as early as the second day. That makes it a bit hard to make in bulk. These on the other hand, you can make in bulk and freeze for later, whenever the urge strikes!

The secret to the moistness is almond pulp.

GF Double Chocolate Brownie
DSC_0586-1

Unlike the flour, the pulp has an inherent moistness because I don't dry it out after squeezing out the milk. Baking the batter does not dry out the pulp sufficiently while the pulp itself is not too wet to make the brownie soggy. It simply lends more denseness to it. Finally, streaking through the batter with peanut butter and walnuts, I think I make a good case for 'healthy' fats!

Btw, a note here; Almonds are my favorite nuts. So, you can see why I am so excited about this recipe!

That's it. The unpretentiously awesome brownie that is blacker than the deepest brown from the double chocolate dose and stickier than night from the almond pulp!

Gluten Free Double Chocolate Brownies

Gluten Free Double Chocolate Brownie

1-1/4 cup almond pulp, liquid squeezed out as much as possible

1/2 cup raw sugar

1/4 cup peanut butter

6 T butter

1/3 cup cocoa powder

1/4 cup chopped dark chocolate, such as Valhorna

1 egg

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

handful of walnuts, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 350F.

Over a double boiler, melt the butter, sugar, cocoa powder and chocolate to a smooth liquid mixture. Remove from heat and quickly whisk in the egg to make a pudding. You have to be quick with the whisking to avoid scrambling the egg.

To this pudding, add the almond paste, salt, baking soda and half the peanut butter. Whisk to mix. Add half the walnuts and fold into mixture. Batter will be quite wet.

Pour batter into a prepared pan and bang on counter to release any air bubbles.

Streak the remaining peanut butter through the batter, sprinkle the remaining nuts on top and press down gently.

Bake for 30 minutes, until crusty on top and yet soft and springy to touch.

Cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing. This is important. Unlike dry flour, the wetness of the pulp needs a bit more resting time to hold shape.

Don't rush it. Patience is rewarded.

une torte amande

Almond torte

Continuing on

my last post

on the

second pantry

, I have been musing on why I have all this extra padding. The interesting thing is that my pantry is usually filled with finished photos and filed recipes. The missing link is getting them posted. Procrastination sets in at this step. I have a boatload of enthusiasm to cook, shoot, process and file. Then, I stop and willfully allow myself to be distracted...

Ok, it hit me. The tedious part of blogging. Writing a post when you have little to say. The thing is, I understand practice makes perfect. I remember Diane Jacob's comment somewhere in her book that writing is just doing it every day and getting better. But, I really can't do that. I realise I don't enjoy that. I need inspiration to pen. And then, I can write some really good stuff... straight from the heart. But it has to be heartfelt or the pen runs dry...

DSC_0053 (2)

There you have it. The reason for my pantry. I don't enjoy the routine of words for the sake of using them. And, since it seems that the food blogging world expects text accompanying recipes, I continue to mope about and think of other things that really need to get done right then just as I open the post editor and stare at it for 5 minutes without inspiration ;)

So... the only solution to this is.. I am going to break with the 'norm'. I am going to go ahead and just post photos and recipes when I don't have a whole to lot of words to serenade them with. I am going to be very focused on this cleansing! It is important... to me! :) I promise, the recipes will be worth it :)

For today, I leave you with a gluten free and entirely vegan almond torte which is rich, delicious and guiltless indulgence. Oh and it is a one pot mixer.

Almond Torte

Torte Collage

{makes two 5 inch tortes.

you can serve this as individual tortes or stack them with filling and make a small layer cake}

115 g ground almonds

35 g oat flour

35 g raw sugar

1 T honey

1.5 T orange marmalade

2 tso olive oil

3/4 tsp baking powder

Mix all the ingredients together. Pour into one ceramic tart pan or divide between two five inch molds.

Bake in a oven, pre-heated to 350F, for 40 mins until the top is crackly and browned.

Cool on rack completely.

I frosted with some chocolate ganache and honeyed mascarpone with chocolate shavings.

Solace....

Almond Croissant



I have a gift. Not talent, gift.

I can create magic in the kitchen. No, there is no need for modesty. It isn't about me. It is OF me. It is about the generations of spectacular home cooks I inherit from. I take pride and am thankful for that gift.

Because without it, I would sink into the depths of unspeakable abyss...



Chocolate Croissant


When my life insists on turning tables on me, I know I can still trust my hands. They are small, yet, they are strong.

I take solace in them. In knowing that I can walk into my kitchen, take out the flour, butter, sugar, eggs, turn my oven on, and they won't fail me... even when all else does...



Almond-&-chocolate-croissan


So I bake. I knead. I whisk. I cook. I live in the moment. I forget. I come alive.

This weekend... I smiled...

Croissants, meringues, steamed buns, pickled pork belly, semifreddo, custard, baked pears, savory pull apart bread... yes...all in one weekend.



croissant flaky


And, so I will... until I no longer can... Because I owe it to my gift.


For the recipe..
Almond Croissants

Croissant dough (Recipe below)
6 oz Almond paste (odense)
1/2 cup almonds, slivered or finely shaved
1 egg yolk + 2 T milk for egg wash

Divide the croissant dough into two. Refrigerate one piece while working on the other. Roll out the dough into a 6 inch wide rectangle of about 1/4 inch thickness. (Adjust the length in accordance to these dimensions)

Starting at one corner cut triangles of the dough. Sprinkle the almond paste evenly over the dough. Gently roll each triangle inward starting from wide base, wrapping the tip gently. Brush with egg wash to seal. Crimp the edges and turn inwards to form crescents. Sprinkle the almond shavings all over.

Place the crescents on a tray atleast 2 inches apart, in a warm (NOT hot) place, to rise for about 15 minutes while the oven preheats to 350F (180C). Bake for 20 minutes until the crust is deep golden brown and the almond aroma overwhelms you!

Cool for 30 seconds and devour!!! :)

For the chocolate version, replace with slabs of dark, oh very rich, dark, chocolate on the wider edge of the triangle or as I did, roll as rectangles.



Croissant Dough
(adapted from
Delicious Days)

250 g flour
175 g butter
25 g granulated sugar
2 T canola oil
1.5 tsp salt
1 egg
17 g active dry yeast
100 ml warm (110F) milk

Between two sheets of plastic wrap, gently roll the butter into an approximate square, about 1/2 inch thickness. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Dissolve the yeast in the warm milk with a teaspoon of sugar. Let sit for 10 minutes until foamy. Sift the dry ingredients together. Make a well in the center. Add the egg, oil and yeast mixture and mix. Knead just enough to make the dough. On a floured surface, roll the dough out to twice the length of the butter block.

Place the cold butter slab, just off one edge of the dough and fold the dough over. Crimp the edges over the butter. Roll out the dough into a rectangle of 1/4 inch thickness. Fold the dough into thirds like a business letter.

Wrap in foil and refrigerate for atleast 45 minutes. Remove onto a floured surface, roll into rectangle and fold as a letter. Repeat this process atleast once more. Let the dough sit in the fridge overnight.