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.”
