BOSH! Frying Pan Biscoff Brownie

Image credit - Lizzie Mayson

With over 835,000 followers on Instagram, chef duo Henry Firth and Ian Theasby are ideally placed to provide advice for Rakish Gent readers on how to make nail plant based and vegan cooking, owing to their strong social presence and Sunday Times Best Selling books. BOSH! On a Budget, released in December 2021 was their fifth publication and contains the below recipe for the tantalising Frying Pan Biscoff Brownie. It should be chewy round the outside, soft and gooey in the middle, packed with indulgent chocolatey deliciousness, this is the quintessential brownie, but laced with Biscoff or, even better, studded with caramelised hazelnuts to make it that extra bit special.

FRYING PAN BISCOFF BROWNIE

Serves 8

300g unpeeled potatoes

100ml water

200g caster sugar

60g cocoa powder

100g dark chocolate

150g sunflower oil, plus extra for greasing

¾ tsp apple cider vinegar

a pinch of salt

110g plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

175g Biscoff spread

For the candied hazelnuts:

75g blanched hazelnuts

50g caster sugar

25ml water

½ tsp sea salt flakes (optional)

Preheat the oven to 170°C • Baking tray • Set a steamer or metal colander over a small saucepan with 3–5cm water over a medium-high heat • Grease a medium ovenproof frying pan with oil • Rubber spatula • Grease a baking tray or sheet of parchment paper with plenty of oil • Food processor

Steam the potatoes • Put the potatoes in the steamer or colander, cover and steam for 30–40 minutes, until tender • Set aside to cool just slightly

Meanwhile, candy the hazelnuts • Spread the nuts over the baking tray • Put the tray in the oven for 5–10 minutes, until the nuts are lightly toasted • Put the sugar and water into the greased frying pan and set the pan over a medium–high heat • As soon as the liquid starts to bubble, reduce the heat to medium • Add the toasted nuts, mix well with a rubber spatula and let it bubble away, tilting the pan now and then, until the water evaporates and you have a light golden syrup that coats the nuts (about 5 minutes) • Quickly scrape the nuts on to the greased baking tray or parchment paper • Sprinkle over the salt and leave to cool

Meanwhile, prep the chocolate • Wash out the small saucepan and add the water, sugar, cocoa powder and chocolate • Mix well • Set the pan over a low heat, folding the mixture with a rubber spatula now and again • Once melted, stir until smooth and take off the heat • Scrape into a bowl and set aside to cool until just warm

Make the brownie mixture • Once they’re cool enough to handle but still hot, peel and chop the potatoes into the food processor • Blitz until smooth • Add the oil in a slow and steady stream until combined • Add the vinegar and salt and pulse to mix •

Tip into the bowl with the chocolate mixture • Fold until just mixed • Add the flour and baking powder to a separate bowl and mix to combine, then sieve the flours over the chocolate mixture and fold together without overmixing • Scrape into the greased frying pan • Spread the Biscoff evenly over the top

Bake the brownie • Put the pan in the hot oven and bake for 17–20 minutes • Sprinkle over the candied hazelnuts and either leave to stand for 10 minutes before digging in while it’s hot, or leave to cool, cut into slices and serve

Recipe from BOSH! on a Budget by Henry Firth and Ian Theasby (HQ, HarperCollins).