Gluten Free Acorn Bourbon Brownies

Recipe developed by Jed Wheeler of Manzanita Cooperative

This is a recipe I developed slowly over the last decade or so, taking my favorite bits from other brownie recipes and practicing until I got it right. The result is chewy but also crumbly and has a deep rich flavor.

Brownies are a deeply personal thing. Everyone has a favorite style, from light and cakey to rich and chewy. These definately fall on the chewy and buttery side of the spectrum. You could make them lighter by slightly reducing the butter and increasing the amount of baking powder if that’s your preference.

When I first started developing this recipe I was still using wheat flour and the bourbon was a trick I brought over from pastry making. Using distilled spirits instead of water to wet pastry means that when the alcohol cooks away the gluten bonds are broken and you’re left with a much more tender flaky crust. I tried it in brownies just as an experiment to see what it would to to the consistency, and kept it even after adapting the recipe to be gluten free with acorn because I love the way the flavor of oak tannins in the bourbon pair with chocolate. Reinforcing that with acorn really dials this recipe in for me, and and the smokiness of chipotle further complements that rich dark flavor profile.

I personally love the slight spiciness paired with chocolate. The aztecs, who domesticated cocoa, served it this way and it’s one of my favorite things. But if spice isn’t your thing, feel free to leave the Chipotle out.

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter

• 6 oz unsweetened 100% cocoa bar

• 3 eggs

• 1 1/2 cups sugar

• 1 1/2 cup acorn flour

• 2 tbsp honey

• 1 heaping tbsp acorn starch

• 1 tbsp cocoa powder

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1 oz bourbon

• (Optional) 1 tsp each of cinnamon and chipotle powder

• (Optional) 2 oz of rough ground leached acorn bits

Process

1. Using a copper-bottom pot or a double boiler, melt butter on low heat. If you don’t have a double boiler or a copper bottom pot, you can fill a saucepan partway with water and then set another pan inside it. This will help distribute the heat evenly and prevent scorching.

2. Add chocolate bar, melting into the butter and mixing until smooth

3. Add sugar and stir until smooth

4. Turn off heat and add remaining ingredients, mixing thoroughly

5. Pour into a baking pan or a cookie sheet with an edge, depending on your desired thickness. If using a cookie sheet, parchment paper can help simplify cleanup.

6. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center of the brownie comes out clean

7. Let cool, then slice and serve either pas is or topped with ice cream or whipped cream