Ingredients
For the crunch & decoration:
1/2 cup (120ml) water
1/2 cup (100g) sugar
3.5 oz. (100g) walnuts
1 pinch of cinnamon
1 pinch of cardamom
For the batter:
3.5 oz. (100g) semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup (120g) butter
1/3 cup (170g) all-purpose flour
2 tsp. cocoa
2 tsp. cardamom
zest of 1/2 organic tangerine
3 medium eggs
1 cup (200g) sugar
walnut crunch
For the decoration:
caramelized walnuts
3.5 oz. (100g) chocolate glaze
Instructions
1. Line a mini cupcake tin* with paper liners (Ø 1.4 inch/3,5cm) and set aside.
2. Start with the caramelized walnuts for the crunch and decoration. Add water and sugar to a saucepan and heat up until it starts boiling. The sugar should dissolve completely. As soon as the mixture starts to thicken, add the walnuts and let caramelize while stirring constantly. The sugar will foam up first and then probably cristalize again – that is ok, just keep stirring until the color of the sugar starts changing its color – you have to be careful now not to burn the caramel. As soon as you have a nice caramel and all the walnuts are covered with it, remove from the heat and sprinkle cinnamon and cardamom on top and stir one last time. Transfer to a baking sheet with baking parchment and let cool down – make sure the walnuts are not sticking to each other. When cooled, chop half of the nuts for the crunch – the rest is for decoration. Set aside.
3. Chop the chocolate and add together with the butter to a heatproof bowl. Place on a pot with simmering water and let melt – mix until well combined. Let cool down again.
4. Preheat the oven to 325˚F (160°C). Mix flour with cocoa, cardamom and the zest of the tangerine and set aside. In a large bowl beat eggs and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy. Slowly add the cooled melted chocolate (should have almost room temperature) and mix in. Add the flour mixture gradually and mix in until just combined. Add the walnut crunch and fold in. Fill into the prepared paper liners (they should be about 2/3 full) and bake in the lower third of the oven for 12-14 minutes. Take out of the oven and let cool down completely on a wire rack.
5. Melt the chocolate glaze in a heatproof bowl on a pot with simmering water, let cool down a bit and decorate each brownie bite with some of the chocolate glaze and a piece of the caramelized walnuts.
Notes
Enjoy flavor pairing!