Chocolate rye brownies with bay and almonds

Method

1. Heat the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Grease and lightly flour a 20cm x 30cm baking tin. Set a large heatproof bowl over a pan of very gently simmering water (don’t let the bowl touch the water), then melt the chocolate and butter with a pinch of fine sea salt for 6–8 minutes, stirring once or twice, until smooth. Remove the bowl from the heat and set aside.
2. Separate 1 of the eggs, then divide the white in half as best you can. In a large bowl, use an electric whisk to beat the remaining eggs, as well as the yolk and 1/2 egg white of the separated egg, with the caster and brown sugars until light, and fluffy. Reserve the remaining 1/2 egg white.
3. Beat the whisked egg mixture into the melted chocolate mixture. Fold in the rye flour until the batter is fully combined, then pour it into the prepared tin.
4. To make the topping, whisk the reserved 1/2 egg white with clean beaters until light and airy, then fold in the almonds, orange zest, granulated sugar and a pinch of fine sea salt. Mix until the almonds are well coated and the mixture is fully combined. Spoon the almond topping evenly over the brownie batter in the tin. Dot the bay leaves on top, pushing the base of each leaf a little way into the batter.
5. Bake the brownies for 20 minutes, until they are cracked and firm on top, but gooey in the middle. Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely in the tin, then cut into squares. Serve with cream, ice cream or thick natural yogurt, or as they are with a cup of tea or coffee.

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