Gingerbread-Brownies

You actually may feel honoured that I am sharing this recipe with you...as it is my absolute favorite secret recipe...pssst.

These brownies have a hint of Christmas, much chocolate and the best spices *8-)*. I could live just of them, but as this doesn't seem to be well due to optical reasons.. ähem), I try to make these only once every several weeks.

For baking I am using a 8x8inch (20x20cm) spring form. You can of course also use a common casserole, but then please adjust the baking time.

1/2 lb. marzipan paste (200g)
1-2 fl. oz. oil (40ml)
1/2 lb. flour (250g)
2 oz. sugar (50g)
1 sachet vanilla sugar
1/2 lb. grated hazelnuts (200g)
1 tsp. Gingerbread spice
2 tbsp. cocoa
2 pinch of salt
2 oz. candied orange (50g)
2 oz. yellow jam (50g)
12 fl. oz. water

Mix the oil and marzipan in a mixer. Then mix the flour, sugar, vanilla sugar, hazelnuts, soices, cocoa and salt in a bowl. Mince the candied orange finely and add it together with the marzipan, jelly and water to the other ingredients. Stir it to a smooth dough.
Pour it into a greased pan and bake it at 320°F (160°C) for about 35 minutes, maybe a bit longer. Please test with a skewer.

When the cake has cooled down:

2 oz. cooking chocolate (60g)
2 tbsp. oat based cream (not sweet!)
4 tbsp. icing sugar

Melt the chocolate in the warm cream, then stir in the icing sugar. Pour the mix on top of the cake and let it cool down.
Before serving decorate with some dried blossoms or any other hodgepodge, then enjoy ;-)