Dolce & Gabbana Brownies

BROWNIES with HAZELNUT BUTTER and CHOCOLATE LACE




Ingredients



For Brownies:



■10.5 ounces (300 grams) bittersweet (%70 cacao) chocolate, chopped

■2/3 cup (10 tablespoons/150 grams) unsalted butter, plus more for pan

■3/4 cup (105 grams) all-purpose flour

■1/2 cup (35 grams) Dutch-process cocoa powder

■1/2 teaspoon salt

■1+1/2 cup (300 grams) granulated sugar

■5 large eggs

■2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For Hazelnut Butter Frosting:



■One 14-ounce (400 grams) jar smooth hazelnut butter

For Chocolate Lace Decoration:



■4.5 ounces (150 grams) bittersweet (%70 cacao) chocolate, chopped

Method



1.To make the brownies, adjust the oven rack to the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C. Butter a 9-by-13-inch rectangular cake pan, line bottom and sides with parchment paper and set aside.

2.Place the chopped chocolate and butter in the top of a double boiler set over hot water and allow to melt slowly, stirring often. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.

3.Sift together the flour, cocoa, and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.

4.In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whisk eggs and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the cooled chocolate followed by the vanilla extract, and whisk until combined. Fold in the flour and cocoa mixture with a spatula. Pour the mixture into the baking pan, smooth the top with a spatula and bake for 30 minutes.

5.Allow to cool in the pan for a few minutes, then turn out and leave to cool completely on a wire rack. Trim the top crust and half-an-inch from each side and place in the refrigerator until chilled, for about 30 minutes.

6.To make the hazelnut butter frosting, place the hazelnut butter in a small pot over low heat and stir until it is runny. Pour over cooled brownie, smooth the top with a spatula, place the frosted brownies in the refrigerator and chill completely, for about an hour.

7.To make the chocolate lace decoration, place the chopped chocolate in the top of a double boiler set over hot water and allow to melt slowly, stirring often. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.

8.Place a 16-inch-long parchment paper on your work surface. Draw an 8-by-12 inch rectangular with a pencil, turn the other side and place it on a baking tray. Pour the melted chocolate into a piping bag fitted with the smallest (about 1 millimeter) plain tip and pipe the lace decoration the size of your brownie. Place the baking tray together with a large offset spatula in the refrigerator and wait until the chocolate is set, for about an hour.

9.Transfer the brownie on your serving plate. Remove the chocolate decoration from the refrigerator and with the help of a large chilled offset spatula go underneath the decoration, pick it up and place it on the brownie. Heat the blade of a large knife with a heat gun or stick it in a cup of hot water for a few minutes and then wipe off the water (heating the blade helps with cutting through the chocolate decoration without breaking it into pieces), cut the brownie into 12 identical squares and serve.

*Courtesy of:  http://cafefernando.com/brownies-for-dolce-gabbana/