Oregon Hazelnut Brownies

What comes to mind when you think of popular Oregon cuisine? As an adult I can easily rattle off a long list… Voodoo Donuts, seafood, Tillamook cheese, marionberries, Salt and Straw ice cream, and some of the juiciest strawberries I’ve ever eaten. Our mother is a proud Oregonian and every summer growing up we visited the Beaver state. Rain, cousins, and the most beautiful serene beaches top the list of my Oregon childhood memories. Noticeably absent the list is any type of Oregon-related food (unless of course you count visits to the Tillamook cheese factory). Our grandmother was not known for her baking. But did you know, Oregon is famous for its hazelnuts?

When researching Oregon foods, hazelnuts, also known as filberts, topped the list every time. In fact, Oregon produces 95% of the hazelnuts in the U.S.! So, I embraced the buttery nut, known worldwide as the star ingredient in Nutella, and got to work. This brownie recipe is one of my favorites and I’m pretty sure it’ll be yours too.

But first, a few Oregon Hazelnut fun facts:

• Oregon farmers grow more than 3,755,000 hazelnut trees, worth $49.5 million, mostly in western Oregon in an area known as the Willamette Valley.
• The hazelnut became Oregon’s official State Nut in 1989.
• Hazelnut production translates into a total economic impact of more than $150 million in Oregon.
• Hazelnut trees can produce until over 100 years of age.
• Hazelnuts are heart-healthy. Consuming just 1.5 ounces of hazelnuts per day may help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, according to the FDA.
• The commercial hazelnut industry has flourished in the Willamette Valley for more than 100 years. About 800 Oregon farm families grow hazelnuts on 67,000 acres. Many of the farm families are third- and fourth-generation orchardists, working the same orchards as their pioneering predecessors.

 

These brownies are serious business. This recipe is adapted from my most favorite brownie recipe of all time. I make it whenever we have a get together or when I want to wow a crowd. These always please. Always.

INGREDIENTS

Brownie Batter:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups sugar
4 eggs, whisked
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

1 cup roasted hazelnuts, chopped

Hazelnut Frosting:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
2 Tbsp. milk
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp. hazelnut extract*
1/3 cup cocoa

Chocolate Ganache Topping:
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips (can also use semi-sweet)

*If you don’t have hazelnut extract on hand, you may substitute with 1/2 cup nutella and omit cocoa.

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DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease a 9×13 baking pan with cooking spray.

2. To make the brownie batter, in a large bowl, whisk to combine melted butter and cocoa powder. Add the sugar, eggs, vanilla, and salt. Mix well. Stir in the flour and hazelnuts, mixing until just combined. Pour into the prepared baking dish. Bake in preheated oven for about 20 minutes, until set in the center. Cool slightly. Place in the freezer for 20 minutes.

3. To prepare the hazelnut frosting, combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and mix at medium speed until fluffy. Spread over brownies and return pan to freezer for 20 more minutes.

4. To prepare the chocolate ganache, melt butter and chocolate together in a glass bowl (either on the stove or in the microwave). Drizzle over brownies and spread evenly with a spatula. Place in the freezer or refrigerator until set.

Fills a 9×13 pan.