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Gingerbread Present Brownies

by , featured in The Book of Gingerbread
Published by Quadrille
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Introduction

Brownies always seem like an untouchable recipe for me — not only are they a staple of American baking, they’re also a very difficult bake to decorate. I’ve faced my fears and done both, altering the classic recipe to include a touch of ginger and decorating them as presents with an eggnog icing. It’s a simple way to elevate them — ideal for Christmas!

For my Eggnog recipe, go to Gingerbread Eggnog Cocktail.

The Book of Gingerbread by Helena Garcia (Quadrille, £16.99).
Photography © Patricia Niven.

Brownies always seem like an untouchable recipe for me — not only are they a staple of American baking, they’re also a very difficult bake to decorate. I’ve faced my fears and done both, altering the classic recipe to include a touch of ginger and decorating them as presents with an eggnog icing. It’s a simple way to elevate them — ideal for Christmas!

For my Eggnog recipe, go to Gingerbread Eggnog Cocktail.

The Book of Gingerbread by Helena Garcia (Quadrille, £16.99).
Photography © Patricia Niven.

Image of Helena Garcia's Gingerbread Present Brownies
Photo by Patricia Niven

Ingredients

Makes: 12

Metric Cups
  • 170 grams unsalted butter (at room temperature)
  • 130 grams dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids)
  • 200 grams plain flour
  • 4 tablespoons cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 200 grams demerara sugar (light brown)
  • 80 millilitres treacle
  • 1 teaspoon ginger syrup (from a jar of stem ginger)

FOR THE EGGNOG BUTTERCREAM

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (at room temperature)
  • 115 grams cream cheese (at room temperature)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 260 grams icing sugar (sifted)
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 2 tablespoons Eggnog (see recipe intro for link to my recipe)

TO DECORATE

  • Christmassy sprinkles
  • 50 grams red fondant icing
  • 50 grams green fondant icing
  • 6 ounces unsalted butter (at room temperature)
  • 4½ ounces bittersweet chocolate (70% cocoa solids)
  • 1½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 packed cup turbinado sugar (light brown)
  • ⅓ cup molasses
  • 1 teaspoon ginger syrup (from a jar of stem ginger)

FOR THE EGGNOG BUTTERCREAM

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (at room temperature)
  • ½ cup cream cheese (at room temperature)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2¼ cups confectioners' sugar (sifted)
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 2 tablespoons Eggnog (see recipe intro for link to my recipe)

TO DECORATE

  • Christmassy sprinkles
  • 1¾ ounces red fondant icing
  • 1¾ ounces green fondant icing

Method

Gingerbread Present Brownies is a guest recipe by Helena Garcia so we are not able to answer questions regarding this recipe

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan/350°F/Gas mark 4) and line a 23cm x 23cm (9 x 9in) brownie tin with baking paper.
  2. Melt the butter and chocolate in a small saucepan over a low heat and set aside.
  3. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt. Set aside.
  4. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, treacle and ginger syrup. Add the melted chocolate mixture and fold in, followed by the dry ingredients. Continue mixing until everything is just combined.
  5. Pour the batter into your prepared tin and bake for 25–30 minutes. If you insert a toothpick to check consistency, brownies are best when slightly gooey on the inside. Leave to cool completely before turning out of the tin and decorating.
  6. To make the buttercream, beat the butter and cream cheese in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or with a hand-held electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and continue mixing. Turn the speed to low and add the icing sugar a little at a time, then add the nutmeg and finally the eggnog. Adjust the consistency, adding more icing sugar if it is too loose, or more eggnog if too dry.
  7. Spread the eggnog buttercream over the brownies, sprinkle with your chosen sprinkles and cut them into squares. Make some ribbons and holly leaves out of fondant and use them to decorate the brownies as presents.
  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan/350°F/Gas mark 4) and line a 23cm x 23cm (9 x 9in) brownie tin with baking paper.
  2. Melt the butter and chocolate in a small saucepan over a low heat and set aside.
  3. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, unsweetened cocoa, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
  4. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, molasses and ginger syrup. Add the melted chocolate mixture and fold in, followed by the dry ingredients. Continue mixing until everything is just combined.
  5. Pour the batter into your prepared tin and bake for 25–30 minutes. If you insert a toothpick to check consistency, brownies are best when slightly gooey on the inside. Leave to cool completely before turning out of the tin and decorating.
  6. To make the buttercream, beat the butter and cream cheese in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or with a hand-held electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and continue mixing. Turn the speed to low and add the confectioners' sugar a little at a time, then add the nutmeg and finally the eggnog. Adjust the consistency, adding more confectioners' sugar if it is too loose, or more eggnog if too dry.
  7. Spread the eggnog buttercream over the brownies, sprinkle with your chosen sprinkles and cut them into squares. Make some ribbons and holly leaves out of fondant and use them to decorate the brownies as presents.

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