Cranberry and walnut brownies

If there’s one dessert that can lift your mood in minutes, it’s definitely brownie. This time, a winter version with fresh cranberries and walnuts. Rich, deeply chocolatey, and beautifully balanced – once baked, the cranberries taste a little like sour cherries. Their sharpness perfectly offsets the sweetness of the brownie, adding a bold, festive character. Perfect for the upcoming holiday season – or simply try it without any special occasion :).

Ingredients for cranberry and walnut brownies:

• 180 g butter
• 100 g dark chocolate (50%)
• 150 g dark chocolate (70%)
• 3 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 250 g caster sugar
• 100 g plain flour
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• a pinch of salt
• 80 g walnuts, chopped
• 100 g cranberries, fresh or frozen

All ingredients should be at room temperature.

Melt the butter in a saucepan, then remove from the heat. Add the chopped dark chocolate to the hot butter and set aside for 2 minutes. Stir until smooth and glossy. Allow the chocolate mixture to cool slightly (it can be warm, but not hot), keeping it smooth and pourable.

In a bowl, lightly whisk the eggs with a balloon whisk (do not beat). Add the vanilla and sugar, mixing thoroughly until well combined. Stir in the cooled chocolate mixture. Sift the flour and baking powder directly into the chocolate mixture, add the salt and mix only until just combined. Fold in 80 g of chopped walnuts.

Pour the batter into a 23 x 23 cm tin, buttered and lined with baking parchment. Scatter the cranberries evenly over the top.

Bake at 160°C (fan) or 180°C (conventional heating) for about 30-33 minutes. The brownie will rise slightly and may crack around the edges or form a crinkled top. A skewer inserted into the centre may come out moist but should not have raw batter on it (although brownies are not usually tested this way, as it’s not always reliable).

Remove from the oven, cool completely, then cut into squares or triangles.

Enjoy!