Brownie with pecans and whisky

My favourite brownie recipe in an autumn-inspired version with pecans. If you don’t have pecans, walnuts make an excellent substitute thanks to their similarly soft texture and delicate earthy flavour. This time, instead of vanilla extract, I added whisky, which pairs beautifully with chocolate and enhances its rich flavour. This brownie with pecans and whisky is a tried-and-tested recipe for an irresistibly fudgy chocolate brownie.

Ingredients for the brownie with pecans and whisky:

• 180 g butter
• 100 g 50% dark chocolate, chopped
• 150 g 70% dark chocolate, chopped
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon whisky
• 250 g caster sugar
• 100 g plain flour
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• a pinch of salt
• 160 g pecans (80 g chopped + 80 g pecan halves)

All the ingredients should be at room temperature.

Melt the butter in a saucepan, then remove it from the heat. Add the chopped dark chocolate, leave for 2 minutes, then stir until smooth and glossy. Leave the chocolate mixture to cool until just warm – it should remain pourable but not hot.

In a separate bowl, lightly whisk the eggs with a balloon whisk (do not beat until frothy). Add the whisky and caster sugar and whisk for a minute or two until well combined. Pour in the cooled chocolate mixture and whisk until smooth. Sift the flour and baking powder directly into the mixture, add the salt and gently stir until just combined. Fold in 80 g of the chopped pecans.

Pour the batter into a 23 × 23 cm square tin, greased and lined with baking paper. Arrange the remaining 80 g pecan halves over the top.

Bake at 160°C (fan) or 180°C (conventional oven) for 30–33 minutes. The brownie will rise slightly and may crack around the edges or develop a crinkled top. A skewer inserted into the centre may come out moist, but it should not have raw batter clinging to it. (Brownies are generally not tested with a skewer, as it isn’t the most reliable indicator of doneness.)

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

Enjoy!