My intention was to share a recipe called Five-Ingredient Hazelnut Brownies, but they turned out dry. I didn't feel like spending another $6 on Nutella, so instead I bought a bag of hazelnut flour and made Hazelnut Flour Brownies. These are much better than the Nutella based ones.
I posted this recipe years ago, but the world just wasn't ready. Back then you had to grind your own hazelnuts, and rice flour wasn't as readily available. Now both hazelnut meal and rice flour are on most of the grocery store shelves (in my area, at least) or can be ordered in 2 seconds and delivered the next day. So this recipe's time has come, and here it is with new photos.
The old version of this recipe has you beat the eggs and sugar until fluffy. This gives you very light and airy brownies, but that extra air plus a higher temp (350) gives you puffed up edges. I kind of like the puffy edges, but I went ahead and re-made the brownies by just stirring everything together in one saucepan and baking at 325. The brownies were more even, and I had one less bowl to clean.
These are just as easy to make if not easier than the convenient but dry Nutella brownies. For the hazelnut flour (also called hazelnut meal) I buy Bob's Red Mill brand. If you happen to have some hazelnuts and a high power blender, you can make your own. For the rice flour, I use a fluffy, very fine rice flour from Vitacost, a good source of reasonably priced gluten-free flours. If you are gluten-free or baking for someone who is, I really hope you'll give these a try.
Recipe
Gluten-Free Hazelnut Brownies
Ingredients
- 4 oz unsalted butter (114 grams)
- 5 ounces dark chocolate, chopped (60-72%) (140 grams)
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar or a mixture of brown and white (210 grams)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup hazelnut flour (50 grams)
- ¼ cup rice flour, white or brown (35 grams)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅛ teaspoon xanthan gum (optional)
- ½ cup extra dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line an 8x8-inch metal pan with foil and grease bottom only.
- Melt the butter halfway over medium heat in a large saucepan. Add the chocolate and reduce heat to low. Heat until melted, then add the sugar and stir until shiny.
- Remove from heat. Let cool slightly then add each egg, one by one, beating with a scraper until mixture is shiny and smooth. Beat in the vanilla.
- Mix together the hazelnut flour, rice flour, salt and baking soda. If using xanthan gum, add that too. Add the dry mixture to the chocolate mixture and stir until well mixed. Pour the batter into the pan and sprinkle chocolate chips on top.
- Bake on center rack for 30 minutes. Brownies should appear set and slightly cracked and top at an internal temperature of 205.
- Let the brownies cool completely on a wire rack. If desired, chill before cutting (for cleaner cuts).
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