Brownies with Pecans and Fleur de Sel

We’re putting yet another French twist on an American classic! Today’s recipe revisits classic fudgy Brownies, but with the addition of pecans and Fleur de Sel – a star ingredient of French cuisine. These brownies are deeply chocolatey, chewy in the center with crunchy bits of pecans, and topped with that shiny crackly top we all love. Fleur de Sel also sprinkled over top makes all the flavors pop and makes them even more addictive.

What is Fleur de Sel? 

Fleur de Sel, translating literally to “Flower of salt”, is the crust of salt that forms on the surface of sea water as it evaporates. Fleur de Sel is grown in salt marshes and is then collected traditionally, using wooden racks by workers called paludiers. It is a rather labor intensive process which explains why fleur de sel is more expensive than table salt. Fleur de Sel is very often used in Brittany cooking and baking, as it’s grown/created on its coast – notably in Guérande, Noirmoutier and the Ile de Ré. 

I always bring back some Fleur de Sel from France in my luggage. But you can also easily find Fleur de Sel online (I recommend the Paludier or Le Saunier de Camargue) and in some specialty grocery stores. 

How to use Fleur de Sel? 

With Fleur de Sel, a little goes a long way. Use it as a tiny garnish, sprinkled over food, rather than the classic salt you would add to your dish in the process of cooking. In texture, Fleur de Sel comes in larger salt crystals. In taste, it has a higher moisture content than table salt, which makes the crystals often stick together and hence deliver a higher, more intense salt flavor on your tongue. 

This brownies recipe show you exactly how table salt and Fleur de Sel are used in different ways: the table salt is mixed with the dry ingredients and folded into the batter, while the Fleur de Sel is sprinkled on the brownies right before baking. 

How to get “crackly top” brownies?

The shiny and crackly crust of a brownie is a very thin layer of meringue that rises to the top when baking. This is achieved by incorporating air into the eggs and making sure the air stays in the batter.

Step 1 – Incorporate air into the batter. You should start by creaming the butter and sugar together very well, until pale and fluffy. Then, add the eggs and beat the mixture for at least 5 minutes until foamy. The longer you beat the batter after adding the eggs, the more air will get incorporated into the batter and the better the crackly crust on top will form. For this step, you will need a whisk: though it is much easier with a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, but doable by hand too, in my opinion.   

Step 2 – Keep the air in the batter. Once the egg batter is foamy, you can switch to a spatula and start adding the other ingredients: melted chocolate, flour, cocoa, etc… At this point, you want to mix the batter as little as possible, to keep all the air in. Use a spatula (not a whisk!) and stop mixing when ingredients are just incorporated.

If you follow these 2 steps, you should have a shiny and crackly curst form on top of your brownies.

More cooking notes: 

• Make sure you use unsalted butter. This recipe calls for salt and fleur de sel which will provide plenty enough salt for the brownies. If you use salted butter, the brownies will likely be too salty in taste. 
• I understand it can be tempting to reduce the amount of sugar, but I do not recommend it. I find that a whole cup of sugar is indeed needed to create a perfectly fudgy texture. The sugar also helps to form the crackly crust on the top. I know this may seem like a bit too much sugar, but they’re brownies after all!
• You can substitute the pecans for walnuts. For a nut-free version of these brownies, replace the 50g of nuts for 50g of extra chocolate chips.
• The key to fudgy-centered brownies is to not overmix the batter, nor over-bake it.
• This recipe is best suited for a square 8×8-inch (20.3×20.3cm) pan, lined-up with foil.

I hope you’ll love this Brownies with Pecans and Fleur de Sel recipe as much as I do! If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment. 

You may also like:

• Buckwheat Chocolate Chip Cookies with Sea Salt 
• Chocolate Chip Cookies with Fleur de Sel
• Breton Salted Butter Sables
• Hazelnut Chocolate Sea Salt Granola
• Classic French Chocolate Truffles
• Classic French Chocolate Pots de Crème

Brownies with Pecans and Fleur de Sel

Print Recipe

Serves: 9 squares Prep Time: 20 Minutes Cooking Time: 40 Minutes 40 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 4.8/5

( 4 voted )

Ingredients

1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp (145g) unsalted butter (at room temperature)
7 oz (200g) chocolate, chopped (dark or semi-sweet)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp (15ml) espresso or coffee, cold
2 large eggs (at room temperature)
2/3 cups (80g) all-purpose flour
1 tbsp (7.5g)  cocoa powder
¼ tsp salt
1.75 oz (50g) chocolate chips (dark or semi-sweet)
1/2 cup (50g) pecans
1 tsp Fleur de sel

Instructions

Make sure you read the cooking notes (above) before you start.

Pre-heat your oven to 350°F (180°C) with a rack in the middle. Line a square 8x8-inch (20.3x20.3cm) pan with foil.

Step 1 - In a medium steel bowl, over a bain-marie, melt the 7 oz (200g) of chopped chocolate. Once melted, set aside to cool.

Step 2 - In a large mixing bowl, using a whisk, cream (*) the butter and sugar together. *Creaming means you need to whisk together the butter and sugar for about 5 minutes until pale and fluffy.

Step 3 - Add the eggs and whisk again for at least 5 minutes until foamy.

Step 4 - Switch to a spatula, and add the vanilla extract, espresso (or coffee) and melted chocolate and mix until just incorporated.

Step 5 - In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder and salt. Fold the dry ingredients into the chocolate mixture until just incorporated. Fold in the chocolate chips and pecans.

Step 6 - Transfer the batter into the prepared pan and smooth out the top with a spatula. Sprinkle evenly with fleur de sel. Bake for 40 minutes until the edges are set and the middle is still soft.

Transfer onto a cooling rack and let cool for about 15-20 minutes before removing from the pan. Slice in 9 squares. Enjoy warm or chilled.