Brownies are the perfect bake for jackfruit flour. They rely on chocolate, butter, eggs and sugar for their texture, not on gluten, so jackfruit flour can replace wheat flour completely. The result is dense, fudgy and deeply chocolatey, with that crackly, shiny top everyone fights over.
The jackfruit flour's subtle earthiness disappears behind the chocolate, so no one will guess it's not a classic recipe.
Prep: 20 min | Bake: 22–26 min | Total: About 1 hr 45 min | Makes: 16 squares | Difficulty: Easy
Suitable for vegetarians. Wheat-free.
Ingredients
- 200 g dark chocolate (around 70% cocoa), chopped
- 150 g unsalted butter, cubed
- 3 large eggs
- 220 g caster sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 70 g jackfruit flour
- 30 g cocoa powder
- ¼ tsp fine salt
- 75 g chocolate chips or chopped nuts (optional)
You'll need a 20 cm square baking tin.
Method
- Prepare. Heat the oven to 170°C (150°C fan, gas 3). Grease the tin and line it with baking paper, leaving an overhang on two sides.
- Melt. Put the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water (don't let the bowl touch the water). Stir until melted and smooth, then set aside to cool slightly.
- Whisk the eggs and sugar. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, sugar and vanilla with an electric whisk for 3–4 minutes until pale, thick and doubled in volume. This is what creates the crackly top.
- Combine. Pour the melted chocolate into the egg mixture and fold gently with a spatula until evenly brown.
- Add the dry ingredients. Sift in the jackfruit flour, cocoa powder and salt. Fold carefully until no streaks of flour remain, keeping as much air in the mix as possible. Fold in the chocolate chips or nuts.
- Bake. Pour into the tin, level the surface and bake for 22–26 minutes. The top should be set and shiny, and a skewer inserted in the centre should come out with moist, sticky crumbs (not wet batter).
- Cool completely. Leave the brownies to cool in the tin for at least an hour. They firm up as they cool. Lift out using the paper and cut into 16 squares with a sharp knife, wiping it between cuts.
Tips for success
- Don't overbake. Brownies keep cooking in the tin. Take them out while the centre is still slightly soft.
- Good chocolate matters. The chocolate is the main flavour, so use one you'd enjoy eating.
- Chill for clean squares. For neat edges, chill the cooled tray for 30 minutes before cutting.
Variations
- Tahini swirl: drop teaspoons of tahini over the batter and swirl with a skewer before baking.
- Date and walnut: fold in 60 g chopped dates and 50 g walnuts.
- Salted: sprinkle flaky sea salt over the top as soon as they come out of the oven.
Serving suggestions
Serve at room temperature with coffee, or warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a spoonful of cream.
Storage
Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. They freeze well for up to 3 months; thaw at room temperature.
FAQs
Are these gluten-free? Jackfruit flour contains no gluten. If you're baking for someone with coeliac disease, check that your chocolate, cocoa and jackfruit flour are labelled gluten-free, as some are made in facilities that also handle wheat.
Why didn't my brownies get a crackly top? The eggs and sugar need a good long whisk until thick and pale. Under-whisking is the usual cause.
Can I use milk chocolate? You can, but reduce the sugar to 180 g, as milk chocolate is much sweeter.