Upside-Down Toffee Apple Brownies

I have always understood brownies to have a chocolate foundation or, in the event of blondies, at least be lacking in raising agents. However, I found a recipe in a dedicated Brownie Cookbook for the basis of these little gems (which have no chocolate but do contain raising agents!). You can decide for yourself if they are worthy of the 'brownie' title... in my house, they will be inhaled regardless!

Upside-Down Toffee Apple Brownies

First things first:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F and line a 23x32cm pan with baking paper.

2. Place 100g pecans (or macadamias) into Thermomix bowl and chop  2seconds @speed4. Set aside.

Topping:

 
1. Place 150g dark sugar (coconut palm or brown or even rapadura) and 120g cubed butter into Thermomix bowl. Cook 5minutes@70deg@speed5. Pour into lined baking tin.
 

2. Arrange cored and thinly sliced dessert apples (we used Fujis) over the toffee mixture.

Brownies:
 

1. Place 100g dates and 500g cored and quartered apples (we used Granny Smiths) into Thermomix bowl. Chop 10seconds@speed5.
 

2. Add 250g butter, 200g rapadura sugar, 4 eggs, 1 tsp allspice, 1/2 tsp each ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg, 1/4 tsp each ground ginger and ground star anise. Combine for 10seconds@speed4 until just blended.
 

3. Add 400g plain flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda and previously chopped pecans. Combine 10-20seconds@speed4 (may need assistance from spatula) until well blended. Pour over toffee and apples in baking tin.

Bake 45-50 minutes until firm and golden. Cool in the tin for 10-15 minutes, then turn out and cut into squares. Enjoy!