Passionate about forging meaningful relationships with like-minded suppliers to ensure they’re connecting with the ingredients, The Exploding Bakery make their salted rye brownies using rye flour from Gilchesters Organics. While rye brings a categorically nutty flavour to the brownies, other heritage grains such as Emmer or Einkorn can also be substituted. High quality chocolate is also especially recommended, giving the cake an almost savoury edge, while cacao nibs are employed to bring crunch. The Exploding Bakery founders Oli and Tom also suggest sprinkling just a pinch of smoked sea salt on top of the brownies just before serving to coax out even more flavour.
“British grains are slowing getting the limelight they deserve. Our windswept little island gets more than its fair share of rain which makes growing conditions rather difficult. But they say the proof is in the pudding and home grown grains make up for their lack of gluten, by packing a punch in the flavour department. Heritage grains, are popping up all over the UK and reclaiming the soil from where they once grew, with small scale growers and millers getting more and more support from big name chefs, it’s really helping the ancient grains find a new home in household kitchens too, as many farm shops are now stocking smaller retail bags.”
The Exploding Bakery Salted Rye Brownies Recipe
Salted Rye Brownies
Ingredients
- 550 g Good dark chocolate
- 200 g butter
- 200 g rye flour
- 4 g baking powder
- 2 g fine sea salt
- 6 eggs
- 350 g soft light brown sugar
- 40 g raw cacao nibs
- 5 g sea salt flakes smoked is a fun addition
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/Gas 4.
- Melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Be careful the bowl doesn’t get too hot by removing from the heat if necessary. Once melted leave to cool a little.
- Beat the eggs with an electric whisk for about 6 minutes adding the sugar a little at a time. The egg and sugar mixture should become frothy.
- Slowly pour in the melted chocolate and butter mixture so it all becomes emulsified. Then add the rye, baking powder and fine sea salt and mix until it all combines.
- Weigh out the mixture into a lined baking tray.
- Sprinkle with the cocoa nibs.
- Place in the oven for 30 minutes until the brownies puff up, but are still wobbly.
- Allow to cool, sprinkle with flaked sea salt.