Cookbook review by Tracey Zabar
Halva is a sweet, dry and sandy treat. This recipe brilliantly adds little pieces of it, along with raspberries, to a brownie batter, where the halva melts when baked. Dappled has lots of other creative ideas to make delicious, fruit-filled baked goods. Go out and find a fruit stand that sells huckleberries, and then make the blondies too. This week, we are giving away a copy of the book and Zabar’s New York Bakery Bundle.
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Raspberry Halva Brownies
Makes 12 brownies
I’m not the kind of food person who describes edible things as sexy, that’s not me, but I will admit to feeling things for these brownies. I think you could use them to woo someone successfully. They are that good.
2 sticks (226g) unsalted butter, plus more for greasing
1¼ cups (156g) all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons natural cocoa powder
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
10 ounces (283g) 72% cacao chocolate, chopped
1 ounce (28g) unsweetened baker’s chocolate, chopped
¾ cup (150g) packed brown sugar
1½ cups (300g) granulated sugar
5 large eggs
1 cup (125g) fresh or frozen raspberries
6 ounces (170g) vanilla halva candy, cut into ½-inch cubes
note: Halva is a traditional confection from Middle Eastern cuisine that is made from sesame paste and sugar. In these brownies it has a softer, gentler peanut butter character. You can find halva candy in specialty food stores or online.
1. Position a rack in the center of your oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter an 8 x 12 x 2-inch baking pan and line the bottom and long sides with parchment paper, leaving a 1½-inch overhang at the sides.
2. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, and salt into a bowl. Set aside.
3. Fill a medium saucepan one-quarter full with water. Set over medium heat, and bring the water to a simmer. Combine the butter, 72% chocolate, and baker’s chocolate in a very clean heatproof bowl and place over the simmering water. Stir gently until the butter and chocolate are melted and completely blended. Remove the bowl from the double boiler and place it on a dry towel.
4. In a large mixing bowl, combine the brown sugar, granulated sugar, and eggs. Beat vigorously with a whisk until the mixture is lighter in color and very creamy looking; you can use an electric mixer for this step if you want to. Add the chocolate mixture, and whisk to combine. Incorporate the flour mixture, mixing just until no dry bits remain.
5. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top. Scatter the raspberries and halva candy over the batter and gently press them into the surface. Gently rap the pan on the counter to dislodge any air pockets in the batter.
6. Bake for 10 minutes, rotate the pan, and continue baking until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out with very moist crumbs still clinging to it, about 20 minutes more. (I prefer to underbake these brownies. They will continue to carry-over cook while they cool, and the center brownies will set up nicely and become fudgey and toothsome rather than cakey.)
7. Remove the brownies from the oven and allow them to cool in the pan. Once completely cooled, carefully remove them from the pan by lifting the parchment paper at the sides. Cut into 12 brownies. Because of the raspberries, these brownies do not have the same shelf life as a standard bar cookie. They are best eaten within 3 days, but keep well in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Reprinted from Dappled by arrangement with Avery, an imprint of Penguin Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC. Copyright © 2019, Nicole Rucker. Photographs copyright © 2019, Alan Gastelum.
Tracey Zabar's Chocolate Chip Sweets: Celebrated Chefs Share Favorite Recipes is available here.
A delectable collection of innovative chocolate chip recipes by world-renowned chefs, pastry chefs, and bakers
Tracey Zabar's One Sweet Cookie Cookbook is available here.
A delicious collection of cookie recipes from extraordinary chefs, pastry chefs, and bakers. A great gift sure to delight anyone who loves to bake.
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