Healthier Chocolate Brownies

I may have eaten one or three of these recently.


NOTE: The flavour of the dates is pretty much undetectable. They are there to add natural sweetness and moisture. I've mentioned before how my kids dislike anything with dried fruit and they didn't suspect a thing.



Healthier Chocolate Brownies
adapted from Bill Granger's Feed Me Now
Makes 12

140g unsalted butter
140g pitted dates, chopped
60g cocoa powder
90g plain flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
95g brown sugar
3 eggs, room tempurature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat your oven to 160 degrees C. Spray a 20cm square cake tin with cooking oil spray and line it with baking paper so that the paper comes up over two sides - this will make unmoulding easier.

Put the butter and dates into a small saucepan and set it over a low heat on the stove. When the butter is melted and hot, turn the heat off and set aside for about 10 minutes. Using a stick blender (or place the mixture into a blender), and whiz until you have a fruity puree. Now dip your finger into the mix... taste. Did you ever think that dates and melted butter would taste soooo good? I'm thinking I might make this for dinner one night.

Anyhoo, sift the flour, cocoa and baking powder into a large mixing bowl. Add the brown sugar and use a hand held whisk to combine all the dry ingredients and get rid of any lumps of sugar.

In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and vanilla together, then stir in the pureed dates. Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients and stir just until combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes or until set.

Cool slightly in the tin, then using the over-hanging paper, gently lift out the slab of brownie (I love saying that), and cool on a wire rack before slicing.