Brown Butter Afghans with Dark Chocolate Ganache

Method

1. Put the butter in a light-coloured 18 cm pan over medium heat and cook for 5 min, swirling often. It will foam, crackle, then go quiet; it's ready when the bits on the bottom turn hazelnut brown and it smells nutty. Pour it straight into a bowl, scraping in all the brown bits, because they burn quickly in the hot pan.

   Add in this stepUnsalted butter (for browning) 115 g

   medium heat

2. Let the brown butter cool, then refrigerate for 35 min, stirring once, until it has firmed to the texture of soft butter. Too liquid and the biscuits spread; too hard and it won't cream.

3. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 175 °C (155 °C fan). Spread the walnuts on a tray and toast them for 7 min until fragrant and a shade darker, then tip them onto a plate to cool. Line the tray with baking paper.

   Add in this stepWalnut halves 8

   oven

4. Beat the firmed brown butter with the brown sugar, vanilla and salt for 3 min, until creamy and paler.

   Add in this stepLight brown sugar 45 gVanilla extract ½ tspFine salt 1 pinch

5. Sift in the flour and cocoa and mix just until combined, then fold in the cornflakes gently, leaving plenty of whole pieces. Weigh 25 g portions so they bake evenly, squeeze each into a rough ball and flatten to 1.5 cm on the tray, 4 cm apart.

   Add in this stepPlain flour 90 gDutch-process cocoa powder 13 gPlain cornflakes 30 g

6. Bake in the oven for 12 min, until the tops are dry and the edges set. Cool for 5 minutes on the tray, then completely on a rack.

   oven

7. For the ganache, heat the cream in a small saucepan over low heat for about 1 min, until it steams and tiny bubbles appear at the edge; don't let it boil. Pour it over the chopped chocolate, wait 2 minutes, then stir slowly from the centre until smooth and glossy. Let it thicken for 5–10 minutes.

   Add in this stepDark chocolate (60–70%), finely chopped 60 gCream (35% fat or more) 40 ml

   low heat

8. Dip the top of each cooled biscuit into the ganache (or spread it on), press on a toasted walnut half and add a few flakes of sea salt. Leave for 15 min until the ganache sets.

   Add in this stepFlaky sea salt 1 pinch