Argan oil chocolate brownie with orange cinnamon ice-cream

“This is one of my favourite chocolate recipes, and the caramelised chocolate works really well with the nutty flavour of the argan oil. All over Morocco they finish meals with orange and cinnamon, so I was inspired to make an ice-cream. For one you don’t even have to churn, I think it’s pretty sensational.” Shane Delia, Shane Delia’s Moorish Spice Journey

• serves

  8

• prep

  30 minutes

• cook

  1 hour

• difficulty

  Mid

Ingredients

Orange and cinnamon ice-cream

• 130 g caster sugar
• 250 ml (1 cup) orange juice
• 2 oranges, zest grated
• 8 egg yolks
• 1 vanilla bean, halved lengthways, seeds scraped
• 1 litre thickened cream
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp orange extract

Argan oil chocolate brownie

• 75 g white chocolate buttons
• 75 g milk chocolate buttons
• 200 g dark chocolate, chopped
• 60 g unsalted butter
• 60 ml (¼ cup) argan oil (see Note)
• 3 eggs
• 230 g (1 cup) firmly packed brown sugar
• 75 g (⅓ cup) sour cream
• 30 g (¼ cup) dark cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• pinch of salt

Freezing time 3-4 hours

Instructions

1. To make the ice cream, place the sugar, juice and zest in a saucepan and stir over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil, then remove from the heat.
2. Using an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the egg yolks and vanilla seeds until thick and pale. With the motor running, gradually add the hot syrup and continue whisking until the mixture is completely cooled. Place the cream, cinnamon and orange extract in a large bowl and whisk until soft peaks form. Fold the cream into the orange mixture, then pour into a 2-litre capacity container and freeze for 3-4 hours or until firm. Allow softening slightly before serving.
3. Meanwhile, to make the brownie, preheat the oven to 160°C. Lightly grease an 11 cm x 21 cm loaf tin and line with baking paper, leaving the sides overhanging.
4. Place the white and milk chocolate buttons on a baking paper-lined baking tray and cook for 10-15 minutes or until caramelised. Remove from the oven, stand until cool, then break up into smaller pieces and refrigerate until chilled.
5. Melt the dark chocolate and butter in a small heatproof bowl over a saucepan of just simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl isn’t touching the water. When melted, stir in the argan oil and remove from the heat.
6. Using an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment beat the eggs and brown sugar until thick and pale. Fold in the melted chocolate mixture, then add the sour cream, cocoa, baking powder and salt and fold through the caramelised chocolate pieces. Pour the mixture into the lined tin and bake for 1 hour or until a skewer withdraws clean. Remove from the oven and stand until cool, then slice and serve with scoops of orange and cinnamon ice cream.

Notes

• If you like, add a handful of nuts to the brownie mixture for a different flavour and texture.

• Argan oil is a plant oil extracted from the kernels of the Argan tree, which is native to Morocco. Make sure you buy culinary argan oil intended for cooking as, unlike the oil used for cosmetic purposes, the kernels have been roasted before the oil is extracted and this gives the oil its characteristic nutty aroma and delicate taste. If you don't have access to argan oil then hazelnut or walnut oil make great substitutes here.

Visit the Shane Delia's Moorish Spice Journey program page to catch up on episodes online, scroll through recipes and read our interview with Shane.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.