Make the brownies

1. Heat the oven to 335°F (170°C). Line a 9-inch square pan with parchment so the baked slab lifts out easily.

2. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar together by hand until the mixture lightens slightly — about 30 seconds.

3. Gently melt the butter and dark chocolate together (microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each) until smooth. Allow to cool a little.

4. Pour the melted chocolate mixture into the egg-sugar bowl and whisk just until combined. Stir in the vanilla and almond extracts.

5. Sift in the flour and salt, then fold the batter until the last streaks of flour disappear. Be gentle to keep the batter dense and fudgy.

6. Fold in the chopped pistachios until distributed evenly. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the surface.

7. Bake 20–25 minutes. The top should look shiny with small cracks; a skewer should pull out a few moist crumbs. Remove from oven and let cool completely in the pan.

Bold tip: avoid overbaking — pull them when a skewer still shows moist crumbs for that perfect fudgy center.

Make the pistachio ganache

1. While the brownies are cooling, warm the cream in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until it just begins to bubble at the edges. Do not boil.

2. Place the chopped white chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let it sit for 60 seconds.

3. Stir until the chocolate melts and the mixture becomes smooth and glossy. Whisk in the pistachio paste and a tiny pinch of salt. Add the almond extract if using and stir to combine.

4. Let the ganache come down to room temperature so it thickens slightly but remains spreadable.

5. Pour or spread the ganache over the fully cooled brownie. Chill briefly if you want the topping to set before slicing.

Bold tip: make sure the brownies are fully cooled — warm brownies will cause the ganache to run and not set properly.