I love raw desserts but this last week I've had a craving for some baked goodies, so I came up with a dark chocolate brownie and added raspberries to offset the mudcake like texture. This brownie is sticky, gooey and has almost a fudge consistency, not to mention absolutely delicious!
I figured if you're going to have a brownie, it might as well be made from healthy ingredients as well as definitely tasting like it's a decadent treat.
I figured if you're going to have a brownie, it might as well be made from healthy ingredients as well as definitely tasting like it's a decadent treat.
Instead of wheat flour I used a combination of almond meal and buckwheat flour. Almonds are a great source of protein and fiber, and are rich in magnesium, potassium, calcium and vitamin E. Buckwheat is a great gluten free alternative, being a fruit seed rather than grain. Being high in manganese, magnesium and fiber. With a GI Index of 54, it lowers blood sugars more slowly than wheat or grain products, aiding in the management of diabetes and helps reduce high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
The raspberries offset the sweetness of the brownie, making it almost like a dark chocolate cherry ripe. The dates add to the sweetness which means hardly any sweetener is needed. Also the dark chocolate will normally have a bit of sweetener, always go for 70% if you can.
This tastes great hot and fresh out of the oven, very soft and moist, or leave it in the fridge and it takes on a more dense texture, still retaining the gooeyness. I made a batch for some hard working yogis after an advanced class and they went down a real treat! Sometimes you can't help but go over to the dark side, but at least you know it's the best of the dark chocolatey side!
The raspberries offset the sweetness of the brownie, making it almost like a dark chocolate cherry ripe. The dates add to the sweetness which means hardly any sweetener is needed. Also the dark chocolate will normally have a bit of sweetener, always go for 70% if you can.
This tastes great hot and fresh out of the oven, very soft and moist, or leave it in the fridge and it takes on a more dense texture, still retaining the gooeyness. I made a batch for some hard working yogis after an advanced class and they went down a real treat! Sometimes you can't help but go over to the dark side, but at least you know it's the best of the dark chocolatey side!
Dark Chocolate Raspberry Brownies
8 medijool dates
1/2 cup raw almond
1/4 cup buckwheat
1/2 cup cacao powder
1/2 cup raspberries
1/4 cup chopped dark chocolate
4 TBS hot water
2 TBS maple syrup
2 tsp vanilla essence
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp celtic sea salt
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1. Preheat oven to 195˚C
2. Meal the almonds and buckwheat in a high speed blender, alternatively use 4/5 cup of almond meal and 1/4 cup of buckwheat flour
3. Mix the baking powder, cacao powder and sea salt with the flours
4. In a separate bowl mix all the wet ingredients, hot water, maple syrup and vanilla essence together
5. Add the wet ingredients in with the dry and mix together
6. Add the medijool dates and mix until it becomes a sticky gooey consistency, it is not meant to be runny
7. Cut up the dark chocolate (I used 70% Lindt cooking chocolate) and fold in with the mixture
8. Fold in the raspberries and gently fold in, most of the raspberries will break up, that's okay but make sure it's all mushed in
9. Line a bread tray or a small pan with baking paper and spread the mixture pressing gently until flat
10. Put into the oven for 15 mins
11. Take out and let it cool down before slicing it up, otherwise it will be very soft. You can even refrigerate it for an hour or so and let it solidify. Then cut into squares and enjoy!
