Dark Chocolate Brownies

High expectations for a brownie, but these little fellers can do it. Trust me. We’ve done it 4 times and we’re still nuts about them. They’ve also been given a healthy make over with a couple of smart ingredient swaps. Instead of butter, we’re substituting with coconut oil. By using a combination of almond meal and wholewheat flour, the brownies taste nuttier while still retaining good structure. And what’s a brownie if not, a sweet ending? I use medjool dates and my all round favourite local brand of truly unrefined cane sugars, Natura Sugars Dark Demerara sugar. The result is a caramel-y fudge-like taste that ticks all the boxes.

Makes 16

Ingredients

• 160g Medjool dates, pitted & soaked in boiling • Water for 10 minutes • 100g (1/2 cup) Natura Sugars Dark Demerara • Sugar • 100ml coconut oil • 5ml (1 tsp) vanilla extract • 3 eggs (xl) • 115g whole wheat flour • 100g almond meal • ½ teaspoon baking powder • 50g (1/2 cup) cocoa powder • A pinch of salt • 80g walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped • Ganache • 100g 70% dark chocolate • 60ml coconut milk • 200g berries, for topping (optional)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 170 C. Line and grease a 20cm square baking tin with parchment paper. 2. Drain the water off the dates and transfer to a processor. Add the Natura Sugars Dark Demerara Sugar, coconut oil, vanilla and eggs to the dates. Blitz until smooth. 3. Sift the whole wheat flour, almond meal, cocoa powder and salt together into a bowl. Add the chocolate mixture to the dry ingredients and mix to combine. 4. Add the walnuts and fold through. 5. Spoon the batter into the tin and smooth over. Bake for 18-20 minutes. Cool completely in the tin. 6. To make the ganache, melt the dark chocolate and coconut milk together and whisk until glossy. Spread the ganache over the cooled brownie and top with berries, if using.