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An aerial view of gluten free shortbread brownies on a sheet of baking paper on a wire cooling rack atop a white marble table. Two glasses of water sit to the top left of the image

Gluten free shortbread brownies

*Cups and measures are in Australian cups and measures. Use gram weights for international accuracy.
These brownies are very rich. I recommend cutting them into 16 small slices as opposed to 12 medium ones.
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Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine Food Intolerance Friendly
Servings 16 small brownies

Equipment

  • 1 20cm x 20cm square baking tin (mine is 20cm x 20cm measured at the lip and 18cm x 18cm measured at the base) (7-7.8 inch)

Ingredients
  

For the shortbread:

  • 125 g softened butter salted or unsalted
  • 70 g icing sugar
  • 80 g (1/2 cup)* fine white rice flour
  • 80 g (1/2 cup)* cassava flour (see shortbread post for alternatives)

For the brownie:

  • 100 g almond meal
  • 20 g (2 tablespoons)* cocoa (dutch processed or regular)
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
  • 200 g chocolate 50%-70%, depending on your preferences
  • 125 g butter salted or unsalted
  • 3 extra large eggs (45-55g per egg weighed out of shell)
  • 220 g caster sugar or 110g white sugar and 110g light brown sugar

Instructions
 

To make the shortbread base:

  • Preheat the oven to 170C/338F.
  • Line a 18-20cm square brownie pan with baking paper, leaving enough overhanging to remove the brownie from the tin.
  • Place the butter and icing sugar in your stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Beat until light, fluffy and creamy. This can take 2-3 minutes in summer or as long as 15 minutes in winter. You should be able to run a spatula through the mixture without encountering any resistance from firm butter.
  • Once well creamed, add the flours and process to combine. This mixture can be softer than regular shortbread, as we don’t need to roll it out. It should have formed a crumbly moist dough that would be tricky to roll out.
  • Transfer the shortbread dough into the brownie tin. Use moistened hands to spread it out and press it down super firmly into an even thin layer, going right up to the edges of the tin.
  • Place the baking tin on a baking tray to protect the base of the shortbread from excess heat. Pop it in the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes or until cooked and lightly golden.

To make the brownie:

  • Mix the almond meal, cocoa and salt together in a small bowl and set aside.
  • Melt the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl on top of a small pot of water on a medium heat. Make sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water – the goal is to heat gently. Once completely melted and combined, turn off the heat and set aside.
  • Combine the sugar and eggs in your stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Beat on a medium high speed for 7-10 minutes or until pale and fluffy.
  • Turn the mixer to low and pour the melted chocolate into the egg mixture. Allow it to combine completely.
  • Add the almond meal cocoa mixture and allow to combine. Scrape down the bowl and process it once more.
  • Pour the brownie mixture over the top of the shortbread base. Place the tin back onto the baking tray it was on before and place into the oven for 30 minutes. It should be a little wobbly in the middle but cooked on top.
  • Allow the brownie to cool completely before removing it from the container. For best results, allow them to chill in the fridge or overnight. Leftovers keep well in the fridge for a number of days.
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