Annie’s Ultimate Brownie: updated

Almond, Maple
& Cranberry Brownie

By
Annie Larivière

Baker,
Cococo Chocolatiers, owners of Chocolaterie Bernard Callebaut

The
Brownie

240g
bittersweet chocolate

250g
unsalted butter

375g
granulated sugar

4
eggs

15g
vanilla (liquid)

250g
all purpose flour

250g
slivered almonds

Preparation

In a bain-marie, melt chocolate and butter.
Whip eggs with sugar in a mixer with whipping attachment. Once the chocolate
mixture is ready, pour on the batter and add vanilla and flour. Do not over
mix. Put the brownie mix in a pan (24cm/30cm). Bake at Bake at 300° F / 149°C
for 15 to 20 min. (chewy texture).

Maple Ganache

Maple
Ganache

Ingredients:

500ml
– 35% cream

500g
maple syrup

50g
invert sugar

100g
glucose

250g
white chocolate 

250g
maple chocolate

Preparation

Heat
cream, maple syrup, invert sugar and glucose to 185°F / 85°C. Remove from the
stove, cool down to 140°F / 60°C and stir in the butter. Pour over the
chocolate (in robot coupe) and mix until texture is smooth.

Maple Ganache Tubes

Using a rigid acetate sheet
to make a tube. Fill the tube with ganache. Freeze to solid
(about 1 hour). Unwrap when ready.

While the ganache tubes are
freezing, remove the baked brownie from the pan. With a plastic dowel, make
holes horizontally at regular intervals into the full width of the baked
brownie (brownie may need to be cut into large rectangles or into serving
size to make this process easier). Insert the wrapped frozen ganache tubes
into the holes.

Almond
and Cranberries Crumble

150g
slivered almonds

75g
maple syrup

One
pinch of salt

50g
dehydrated cranberries

Preparation

Mix
almonds, maple syrup and salt together and bake it for approx. 15 minutes at 350°F
/ 177°C (until golden brown). Let cool. In a robot-coupe mix the almond
mixture and cranberries to make a crumble.

Meringue

90g
egg whites

63g
granulated sugar

Preparation

Whip
egg whites with half of the sugar in a mixing bowl with the whisk attachment.
When the peaks are soft, add the other half of the sugar and whip until hard
peaks form.

Assembling
the Brownies

Cut the brownies to serving size. Using
a knife or a little spatula, lightly cover the bottom and sides of the
brownie with a layer of meringue. Coat with the crumble mixture. Add a dollop
of meringue on top. With a torch, caramelize the top to a light brown color. Decorate
as you wish!