Chestnut and Armagnac Brownies

I developed this brownie recipe one day while my boss was away and I had some time on my hands to play around in the kitchen. The Fall is my favorite time to cook because all of my favorite ingredients are in season. Chestnuts are one of those often overlooked ingredients. Here in the United States we do not use chestnuts enough. We may see them at Thanksgiving in a chestnut stuffing, or roast them over an open fire at Christmas, but that's about it. The rest of the time they are ignored. It's sad because they are delicious and fun to work with. These days, with all of the jarred and canned products available, there is no excuse to not use them in our recipes. All of the hard work is done and we can just enjoy the sweet rewards. My favorite brand of chestnut products comes from the Clement Faugier Company of France. They have been making chestnut products since 1882, and they do it with class and style. Their products can be found at Whole Foods Market, or on-line. Check out their website link in the Useful Links List to the right.

These are sophisticated brownies. The combination of chestnuts, armagnac, and bittersweet chocolate evoke the flavors of the French Southwest. You could almost say that these are brownies for adults. Their texture is delicate and almost silky, with an intense chocolate-armagnac flavor. They are great by themselves, or use them as a base for an upscale ice cream sundae.

Chestnut and Armagnac Brownies
Makes 18 large or 24 small Brownies

• 12 ounces Valrhona Le Noir Gastronomie 61%, chopped
• 4 ounces unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup unsweetened chestnut puree
• 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon Tahitian vanilla
• 1/4 cup Armagnac
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon fleur de sel

Procedure:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, lightly butter a 9 x 13 glass baking pan.

Melt butter and 8 ounces of chocolate together in a small saucepan over extremely low heat. Allow to cool slightly. While chocolate is melting, place chestnut puree and sugar together in the bowl of a standing mixer. Using the paddle attachment, combine on medium speed until completely blended and no little lumps of chestnut puree are visible. Remove bowl from mixer.

Add lightly beaten eggs to the chestnut mixture about a quarter at a time and mix gently with a wooden spoon until completely incorporated. Be careful not to mix in too much air. Add melted butter and chocolate and combine thoroughly with the wooden spoon. Add the vanilla, armagnac, and salt and mix thoroughly. Finally, add the flour and mix until no dry flour is visible. Don't overwork the mixture, we don't want any gluten activation.

Spread the batter into prepared pan and smooth evenly. Melt the remaining 4 ounces of chocolate in a small glass bowl in the microwave. To do this, cook for 30 seconds on half power, stir and repeat. You will probably have to do this 3 to 4 times. If chocolate starts to get too hot, just stir it until all lumps are melted. Chocolate melts at very low temperatures.

Pour melted chocolate evenly over brownie batter. Using a wooden skewer, or a thin knife, swirl the melted chocolate into the batter. Bake in preheated oven on center rack for 25 to 30 minutes. When done, center will be springy, and a wooden skewer will come out fairly clean.

Allow brownies to cool completely in the pan before cutting. Cut into 18 large brownies, or 24 smaller brownies. Enjoy!