Serves: 6
Caramel pecan brownies are decadent and everything you want in a brownie and more.
Ingredients
For the soft caramel
- Generous 1 tbsp (25 g) glucose syrup, DE 38
- 2 tbsp (25 g) superfine sugar
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) heavy cream, min. 35% fat
- 2 tsp (10 g) butter
- ⅛ tsp (0.5 g) fleur de sel
For the caramelized pecans
- ⅔ cup (2¾ oz./80 g) pecan halves
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) water
- ¼ cup (1¾ oz./50 g) superfine sugar
- A few drops neutral oil
For the brownies
- 3 oz. (85 g) dark chocolate, 65% cacao (preferably Valrhona Caraïbes), chopped and divided
- 4 tbsp (2½ oz./65 g) butter, diced
- 2 tsp (10 ml) walnut oil
- ⅓ cup (2½ oz./75 g) lightly beaten egg (about 1½ eggs)
- 2 tbsp (25 g) superfine sugar
- 2 tbsp (25 g) rapadura sugar
- 2½ tbsp (25 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp (5 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- Scant ½ tsp (1.5 g) baking powder
- ⅓ cup (1¼ oz./35 g) almond flour
- ¼ tsp (1 g) salt
- Scant ½ cup (1¾ oz./50 g) chopped caramelized pecans, plus more for decoration
Directions
For the soft caramel
1Heat the glucose syrup and sugar in a saucepan until the sugar dissolves to form a syrup.
2Boil until the syrup becomes a golden-brown caramel.
3While the syrup is boiling, bring the cream to a simmer in a separate saucepan. Carefully pour the hot cream into the caramel, a little at a time, stirring continuously.
4Let boil for 1 minute, remove from the heat, and add the butter and fleur de sel.
5Process with the immersion blender until smooth. Let the caramel set at room temperature for about 15 minutes, then transfer to the pastry bag.
For the caramelized pecans
1Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C/Gas Mark 3).
2Spread the pecans out over a lined baking sheet and toast in the oven for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the water and sugar in a saucepan until the sugar dissolves.
3Bring to a boil and let boil for 1 minute. Add the pecans and cook, stirring with a spatula, until the sugar crystallizes and has a sandy appearance. Increase the heat slightly and continue stirring until the sugar dissolves, coats the nuts, and turns a golden caramel color.
4Add a few drops of neutral oil, stir to blend, and spread the nuts out over the baking sheet (lining it with fresh parchment paper, if necessary), leaving space between them. Let cool completely.
5Weigh out a scant ½ cup (1¾ oz./50 g) of the pecans and chop them roughly for the brownie batter.
6Leave the rest for decorating the tops of the brownies.
For the brownies
1Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C/Gas Mark 3).
2Place the cake frame on the silicone baking mat.
3Melt 2¼ oz. (65 g) of the chocolate with the butter and walnut oil in a bowl over a bain-marie and continue heating until the temperature reaches 122°F (50°C), stirring until smooth.
4Whisk together the eggs, superfine sugar, and rapadura sugar until thick and creamy.
5Sift the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder together into a separate bowl and add the almond flour and salt.
6Stir the melted chocolate into the whisked mixture, sprinkle over the dry ingredients, and fold in until just combined.
7Add the scant ½ cup (1¾ oz./50 g) caramelized pecans and the remaining chopped chocolate. Pour the batter into the cake frame and scatter a mix of whole and chopped caramelized pecans over the top.
8Bake for 20–25 minutes until a toothpick pushed into the center comes out with just a few crumbs sticking to it.
9Remove the frame and let the brownies cool at room temperature. Pipe out diagonal lines of caramel over the brownies and cut into bars or squares.
Credit: Extracted from Fruits and Nuts: Recipes and Techniques from The Ferrandi School of Culinary Arts by FERRANDI Paris (Flammarion, 2021).
Credit for all photos:Photography © Rina Nurra.
