White Chocolate Brownie

Doesn’t that White Chocolate Brownie in the picture look divine?  It’s just one of the recipes in the new Sweet: Treats to Share cookbook published by Penguin.  The cookbook shares recipes from many of New Zealand’s best celebrity bakers, and this yummy recipe comes courtesy of Allyson Gofton.  We love Chocolate Brownie, and this white chocolate version with pistachios looks like an awesome twist on a baking classic.  I have to say, I’m loving the props from The Vintage Table which have been used in the styling of the food too.

To celebrate the release of Sweet: Treats to Share, Penguin are also running a giveaway where you can win a baking pack, copy of the book and some gorgeous postcards, so make sure you get yourself in the draw for that! 

Makes about 24–30 pieces

Ingredients:
250g good-quality white chocolate, roughly chopped
250g butter, diced
1 cup caster sugar
4 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla essence
2 cups plain flour, sifted
1 cup pistachio nuts or pecans, chopped

White Chocolate Icing
100g good-quality white chocolate, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup icing sugar, sifted
about 2 tablespoons milk
extra pistachio nuts, finely chopped, to decorate

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 160ºC. Grease and line the base and sides of a 25cm square cake tin.
2. Place the chocolate and butter in the top of a double boiler and heat over boiling water until just melted.  Alternatively, microwave on high power (100 per cent) for about 2 minutes. Be careful not to over-cook the chocolate as it will burn easily. Stir until smooth and leave to cool.
3. Using an electric mixer, beat the sugar, eggs and vanilla together until the mixture is thick and fluffy.
4. Sift the flour over the beaten egg mixture and fold in alternately with the cooled chocolate mixture. This is easiest done with a slotted spoon. Fold in the pistachio nuts or pecans. Turn out the mixture into the prepared cake tin.
5. Bake for 30–35 minutes until the top is lightly golden but the centre is still a little soft.
6. Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature. Chill for 3–4 hours. Remove from the tin.
7. To make the icing, melt the white chocolate and butter together. Stir in the icing sugar and sufficient milk to make a smooth, thick icing. Ice, decorate with pistachio nuts and cut into pieces.

Reproduced with permission from Sweet: Treats to Share. Published by Penguin Group NZ. RRP $45.00. Copyright recipe © Allyson Gofton, 2014. Copyright photography © Manja Wachsmith, 2014. Available nationwide.