BROWNIES

Variations

❚ ❚ Add chili powder, a variation inspired by chef Laurent Gras — he makes his own mixture of seven chili varieties for his signature brownies.

❚ ❚ Add a healthy pinch of Chinese five spice, mesquite powder or ground cinnamon. ❚ ❚ You can also add 450 grams of ground walnuts to the batter.

❚ 340 g unsalted butter, plus more for greasing

❚ 910 g dark chocolate (I like 72 per cent cacao)

❚ 560 g eggs (see note)

❚ 790 g sugar

❚ 5 g sea salt

❚ 10 g pure vanilla extract

❚ 260 g rye flour, plus more for dusting

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease and flour an 18 × 9-inch (46 x 23-cm) baking pan.

2. In the top of a double boiler set over barely simmering water, melt the butter and chocolate together, stirring constantly until smooth. Keep warm.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the eggs, sugar, salt and vanilla on high speed until the mixture thickens and reaches the ribbon stage, about 8 minutes.

4. Pour the warm chocolate sauce into the egg mixture and fold to incorporate. Sift the flour directly into the batter and fold to incorporate.

5. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake until the surface cracks and a tester comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.

6. Set the pan aside to cool on a wire rack for 40 minutes before slicing and removing the brownies. The brownies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 10 days.

Makes: 24 brownies

Note: A whole large egg weighs approximately 60 grams; the yolk weighs about 20 grams and the white around 40 grams. For this recipe, start by cracking nine eggs into a bowl, and either add or extract some of the whites until you reach the desired weight.