Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Mist an 8-inch square pan
with cake release and line with parchment paper, letting the
edges overhang.
Place the chocolate chips and butter into a small bowl and melt
in the microwave in short 30 second bursts or over a double
boiler. Stir until melted and smooth and set aside to cool down
slightly.
Add the sugar, salt, eggs and vanilla paste to a large bowl and
beat using a hand mixer or whisking vigorously with a balloon
whisk. You want to make sure the sugar is fully dissolved. Fold
the chocolate mixture in.
Sift the cocoa powder and all-purpose flour into the bowl then
stir everything together until you have a smooth, glossy batter.
Pour the brownie batter into the prepared pan, level and bake
for 25-28 minutes or until the brownies are set at the edges. A
toothpick inserted in the center should come out with a few
moist crumbs.
Let the brownies cool slightly – do not remove from the pan.
Time to work on the filling!
Place the pistachio cream, tahini and salt in a bowl and stir to
combine. Fold in the toasted kataifi pastry until every strand
is coated. If you can’t find kataifi pastry, you can substitute
this with roasted phyllo pastry.
Pour the filling over the cooled brownie base and gently spread
it edge to edge. Level using an offset spatula.
And one more thing: ganache. Then, we can finally assemble.
Heat the cream in a saucepan until small bubbles appear around
the edges – do not boil! Pour the cream over the chocolate
chips, rest for a couple of minutes and stir until completely
melted and smooth.
Then, it's time for assembly! Spread the ganache over the
filling and level. Heat a couple of tablespoons of pistachio
cream and place in a ziplock bag. Snip a small hole and pipe
straight lines over the ganache (before it sets). Use a
toothpick or chopstick to drag through the lines to create a
feathered effect. Top with chopped pistachio.
Chill the brownies until the ganache sets. Lift them out of the
pan using the paper overhang. Use a large knife to slice the
brownies, wiping the blade between each cut. Serve and enjoy!
