Chocolate Hazelnut Squares

This recipe comes from the One Smart Cookie Cookbook by Julie Van Rosendaal. Some have become familiar with Julie from that book however most recently she has been in the spotlight again highlighting issues with Canadian butter, aka Butter Gate. Yes, I have been noticing some inconsistency with butter recently, that aside, it didn't stop me from trying this recipe and previously buying a bag of hazelnuts on sale was fortuitous. It is hard to believe this recipe is low fat because these squares are luscious and super easy to make. For more information about Julie Van Rosendaal and recipes do visit her website at: dinnerwithjulie.com

Chocolate Hazelnut Squares

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Base:

1/4 cup butter, softened

1/4 cup sugar

1 cup flour

pinch of salt

Topping:

1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar

1/4 cup cocoa 

1 tablespoon flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup hazelnuts, toasted, skinned and coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

In a medium bowl, stir together the butter and brown sugar until creamy. Add the flour and salt and stir until well combined and crumbly.

Press into the bottom of an 8 x 8 inch pan sprayed with non-stick spray. Bake for 8 - 10 minutes, until just barely golden around the edges.

In the same bowl (no need to wash it), combine the brown sugar, cocoa, flour, baking powder and salt. Add the eggs and vanilla and stir un til well blended and smooth. Stir in the hazelnuts. Pour over the base and smooth the top. Bake for 30 - 35 minutes, until the top is slightly puffed and cracked, and looks dry. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Makes 16 squares. 

NOTES: When sharing a recipe from a cookbook, it is typed exactly how it is printed inside the book. With this recipe, the Ingredient list for the base states: "1/4 cup sugar", I assumed this was white sugar, on a quick glance, however when I read the Method or Instructions it states: "In a medium bowl, stir together the butter and brown sugar until creamy." When reading recipes, and I read a lot of them, usually when a recipe just says sugar, it's in reference to white sugar/caster sugar. Brown sugar, like icing sugar (powdered sugar), is always denoted as such. Unfortunately, this was a slight confusion after the fact; as I had already added white sugar. So for the base/crust I used 1/4 cup white sugar.

The cookbook, One Smart Cookie by Julie Van Rosendaal, I have, is a third printing, 2012.    

Sunshine and warm temperatures await. Have a nice weekend everyone! - JD