Vegan Chestnut Brownies
These vegan chestnut brownies are rich and nutty thanks to the dark chocolate and sweetened chestnut puree. Each mouthful is the perfect fudgy bite. Get the recipe below.
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Seasonal baking
When we think about seasonal baking we often think of what fruits are in season but did you know nuts are seasonal too? As the end of September arrives so do sweet chestnuts.
As the months grow colder, we eat more of them and in time they’ve come to be associated with Christmas.
Roasting chestnuts is a real labour of love. As they get hot their shells crack and the flesh inside is exposed. Peeling away those tough outer shells to find the soft sweet nut below is oh so satisfying.
These delicious nuts are perfect for adding to savoury dishes like chestnut and mushroom pate or chestnut and cranberry “sausage” rolls but also to sweet recipes like my boozy chestnuts in cointreau syrup and of course these brownies.
Foraging for chestnuts
If you want to make this recipe completely from scratch then you could forage your own chestnuts and make your own chestnut puree (simply poach the nuts in plant milk and blend until smooth).
If you’re going to forage for chestnuts make sure you are certain you’ve identified the right tree and the right type of nut. You don’t want to mistake sweet chestnuts for horse chestnuts (also known as conkers) as these are inedible.
Sweet chestnuts are encased in long, pliable, green spikes. When these outer shells are split open, they contain 2-3 shiny nuts which are roughly triangular in shape and have a distinctive tuft on the end.
As always, if you’re not sure you’ve identified the right tree and nut then don’t take the chance. There are, however, lots of resources you can consult to help you identify them.
For more foraged food check out the foraged recipe archives.
Now, I know, they are not as good as the fresh nuts plucked straight from the tree but did you know that most supermarkets now sell vacuum packed chestnuts and tins of chestnut puree? For this recipe I’m going to use the tinned chestnut puree variety.
How to get the perfect chestnut brownie
For me the key to a good brownie is something dense and fudgy, made with good quality dark
chocolate which is just sweet enough and complimented by one other flavour which shares the
limelight with the rich bitter chocolate. In this recipe that’s the chestnuts. Here’s how I make the perfect chestnut brownie every time.
- Begin by melting the butter and sugar in a sauce pan. Only once the butter and sugar have melted should you add the dark chocolate. Add it any earlier and you risk burning it. You want the dark chocolate to melt slowly, ideally in the residual heat of the butter and sugar.
- Beat the chestnut puree and butter/sugar/chocolate mix until well combined and creamy. You want to end up with a chocolate chestnut thick puree.
- Carefully fold in the flour making sure you don’t leave any pockets of flour.
- Lastly fold in the milk to loosen the mixture just a little. You don’t want the batter running but it should fall off of your spatula and spread easily in the tin.
- Bake in the centre of the oven for just 15 – 18 minutes or until you have a crisp top that is bringing to crack.
- Leave the brownies to cool in the tin before cutting. We do this so that they are set perfectly before we cut them into neat portions.
- Serve with a dusting of icing sugar, not too thick, we want to be able to see the brownies through the icing sugar.
Variations
If you’re in the “more is more” camp then feel free to add some extras to these brownies. Perhaps chopped cherries or dried cranberries? You could also add some chopped chestnuts for extra texture.
The recipe
Vegan Chestnut Brownies
Equipment
- 1 9 x 7 inch baking tin
Ingredients
- 175 g vegan butter
- 150 g light brown sugar
- 200 g dark chocolate
- 415 g chestnut puree 1 tin
- 3 tbsp plant milk
- 75 g plain flour
Instructions
- Pre-heat your oven to 180C and line a 9 inch square or rectangle baking tin with grease proof paper.
- Add the butter and sugar to a pan and place over a low heat. Let the butter and sugar melt, stirring regularly.
- Once melted, break the chocolate into cubes and add to the pan, continue to stir until you have a glossy mix.
- Once the butter, sugar and chocolate have melted pour this into a large mixing bowl and beat in the chestnut puree until smooth.
- Sift the flour into the batter mixture and fold gently until combined.
- Add the plant milk and fold to loosen the mixture slightly.
- Pour the brownie mix into the lined tin.
- Bake in the centre of the oven for 15 – 18 minutes until the brownie mixture is set and a crisp top has
- formed with distinctive brownie cracks.
- Allow the brownies to cool in the tin before, cut into squares then carefully remove from the tin,
- peeling away the grease proof paper.
- Dust with a little icing sugar before serving.
Nutrition
More festive bakes
Cranberry and Pistachio Biscotti
More Christmas recipes
For the full range of Christmas recipes check out the Christmas recipe archive.