+GF
When you don’t have the patience to wait for baked brownies, this is the perfect alternative. Sweet dates, nuts and creamy hemp seeds blitz together in a rich chocolate sauce, crafting one decadent brownie bite.
Completely devoid of refined sugar, butter or flour, these brownies are a healthy counterpart to the traditional boxed brownie mix of the past. Enjoy the sweet satisfaction of brownies that work with your body and your taste buds. —MR
MAKES 15 BROWNIE SLICES
BROWNIE
½ cup (55 g) raw unsalted walnuts
½ cup (55 g) raw unsalted pecans
1 cup (170 g) pitted Medjool dates
½ cup (80 g) hemp seeds or any seeds
½ cup (55 g) raw cacao powder
2 tbsp (30 ml) maple syrup
Few pinches of sea salt
CHOCOLATE SAUCE
3 tbsp (42 g) coconut oil
¼ cup (27 g) raw cacao powder
2–3 tbsp (30–45 ml) maple syrup (depends on how sweet you like it)
¼ tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of sea salt
Simply pulse the walnuts and pecans in a food processor until a crumbly flour forms. Then add the dates and hemp seeds to your food processor, and pulse until very sticky pieces start to form. If you don’t have the Medjool variety of dates, soak the firmer dates in water for 1 hour before pulsing.
Now add the cacao powder, maple syrup and salt, and process until all the ingredients are combined and very sticky. At this point a large ball will start to form.
Line a small pan with parchment paper and evenly press the brownie mix into the pan. The brownies will be short, less than 1 inch (2.5 cm) tall. Place in the freezer to set while you prepare the chocolate sauce.
FOR THE CHOCOLATE SAUCE
Melt the coconut oil in a saucepan over low heat. Once it has fully melted, remove it from the heat and stir in the cacao powder, maple syrup, vanilla extract and sea salt. Taste the mixture to see if you would like to add more sweetener or cacao.
Remove the chocolate brownies from the freezer and pour the silky chocolate sauce on top, letting it overflow onto the sides of the brownie. Chill for another 30 minutes. If you enjoy extra cacao, sprinkle some on the top as well! Cut it into slices, and enjoy. Store these brownies in the freezer.