Actually, I need about seven brownies. Particularly after all the bags of rubbish that I carried from our second floor flat to the bins in the car park. That definitely deserves at least seven brownies doesn't it?
These aren't just any old brownies though. If you ignore the large amount of sugar in them, they could actually be considered good for you. Sort of.
I swapped out the butter for some extra virgin olive oil. I was a little wary when I tasted the batter as the olive oil flavour seemed quite aggressive but it mellowed wonderfully in the finished product. They're a little bit fruity, a little bit spicy and a big bit delicious.
Although I do not, as a general rule, approve of nuts in brownies, I think walnuts work well alongside the olive oil, complementing the richness and providing another dimension of flavour and texture.
Slightly to my surprise, these brownies are a bit firmer than their butter-laden counterparts. It wasn't quite what I was expecting but it was a welcome discovery and one that makes for a rather satisfying eating experience. And you can't really ask much more from a brownie.
~
Adapted from my basic brownies
Yield: Approx 16
Ingredients
- 125ml (1/2 cup) extra virgin olive oil
- 125g (5 oz) dark chocolate (85% for preference), broken into small pieces
- 110g (1/2 cup) caster/granulated sugar
- 170g (3/4 cup) light brown soft sugar
- 4 medium eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 80g (2/3 cup) plain/all purpose flour
- 40g (1/2 cup) cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon instant coffee
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 100g (1 cup) chopped walnuts
Cooking Directions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F. Crease a 23cm square baking tin.
- Melt the chocolate in the microwave or in a bowl over a pan of simmering water.
- When melted, take off the heat and scrape into a large bowl. Add the olive oil and sugars and stir with a wooden spoon to combine.
- One at a time, add your eggs and continue to mix with your spoon. With the last egg, throw in the vanilla.
- Fold in your dry ingredients until just combined and finally fold through the walnuts. Pour into a baking tin and bake for 25-35 minutes until the brownies are coming away from the side and feel set if you touch them gently on top. Allow to cool in the tin before cutting into squares.
27 comments:
They look delish.
I love the idea of using olive oil instead of butter. They look great!
Yum! I love the sound of these!!
I'm firmly of the opinion that any baked good that features olive oil in place of butter is healthy. No doubt about it.
These look amazing! I honestly wouldn't have thought that a brownie without butter would turn out but you've proven me wrong!
How interesting! I have actually never done any baking with olive oil as a major ingredient, but these look so lovely!
@Aletea - Thanks lovely!
@Carrie - It was a really nice change actually and so nice to be able to eat a brownie and feel a little bit virtuous!
@Katrina - Thank you!
@Joanne - I was a little worried the texture would be off but I was pleasantly surprised how well they turned out. Apart from the slight flavour, they're really not that different and as I'm not a huge fan of the flavour of butter, they really worked for me.
@Erin - I've used it in a couple of cakes before but not in such a conventional recipe. It's really fun to experiment though!
Ooh, yum! I'm glad you decided to reward yourself for all that cleaning work. :) And so cool to sub olive oil in these--I've tried it with cookies before, but only in a recipe where I was going for the savory flavors. I'm interested to see how it would mellow out with the chocolate! Thanks for the recipe. :)
I generally don't approve of nuts in brownies either, but you're right, along side the olive oil, it sounds really good! I like a firmer brownie every now and then..just to change up the texture and whatnot! These look so good, you definitely deserve a treat like this after your organization!
I always need a brownie! These look so fabulous, Kathryn! I can take or leave nuts in brownies. I do love the crunch that they add!
these sound wonderful! i've tried lots of desserts with olive oil in them, but never brownies, so i'm intrigued. will have to try 'em!
they almost look fudge-like. Probably because they are so square and perfect looking.
I agree, nuts in brownies is usually a no-no, but since these are "healthier" brownies, why not add a couple walnuts?!?!
These sound great. I'm normally not a fan of nuts in my brownies (or any baked good) but I think it works perfectly here.
@Tara - It was a surprisingly successful experiment!
@Julie - Yes, I like to mix things up with my brownies just in case I ever get bored of them although I think that's pretty unlikely to happen in reality...
@Cassie - I've never really seen the point of them until these brownies but they really work here and stop it all being too rich.
@amy - Let me know how you get on, hope you like them!
@Jen - I've learnt the secret to perfect squares is to not be too impatient and let the brownies sit for a while before cutting them up. Although sometimes it's a bit too much of a sacrifice ;)
@Rachel - Me neither, I hadn't really intended to use them but my mind sort of wandered and before I knew it, in they went! I'm so glad I did though, I think the brownies might have been a bit rich otherwise.
Now you've got me wondering how these might be with 1/2 olive oil and 1/2 walnut oil. I don't know if you've ever tasted walnut oil, but it is WONDERFUL. A little bit goes a long way though. They look gorgeous, Kathryn!
@BluebonnetBaker - Ooh that's an intriguing idea! I'm not sure that I've ever seen walnut oil but I'm going to the grocery store that has everything in the world on Friday so I'll have a look out for it. I can imagine it being really tasty!
I know you may remember that I'm not a super sweet-toothed person, but dang do I LOVE brownies!! And as my tummy rumbles before lunch in a few minutes, I'm tempted by your gorgeous brownies!!! xo
Olive oil in place of butter is brilliant. I also like that you use dark chocolate, coffee, and walnuts for added flavor and texture. This brownie recipe is right up my ally!
I still have never baked with olive oil, but I better start with these mouthwatering looking brownies! They look incredible, Kathryn. Thanks for sharing and inspiring me!
@Elaina - These are also not too sweet, I cut down the sugar a bit. Which also makes them healthy(ish)...
@Julia - Thank you so much, so glad you like them!
@Georgia - Thank you, I hope you like them!
another brownie recipe added to my list!
These look so delicious! I love olive oil in desserts.
Oh I LOVE nuts in brownies and I also really olive oil and just brownies full stop so these sound wonderful. I had a very virtuous breakfast of prunes, yogurt and flaxseed - good but Im rather wishing I'd had a brownie now instead..
Ooh! I'm intrigued by the idea of using olive oil instead of butter - you say they turned out slightly drier not greasy? Fascinating! Definitely one to try :-)
These look absolutely delicious. Any kind of work would deserve this. YUM!!
Massive fan of olive oil in baking, here. These are no exception - they look absolutely beautiful!
I love using olive oil in baked goods! And I have no problem with firmer brownies. If you want, I could even take these off your hands for you. Aren't I so nice? :)
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