Ingredients:

• 300g walnuts (use activated if you prefer)

• 25g coconut sugar

• 200g medjool dates

• 90g cacao powder

• 50g carob

• 50ml water (if needed)

• 50g nuts of choice (almonds / hazelnuts / brazil’s) - chopped

• 30g cacao paste (gently melted)

• 1tsp cinnamon

• 8 drops caramel medicine flower extract (optional) - can use vanilla instead

• Pinch of salt

Method:

• Using a food processor, grind walnuts and coconut sugar

• Add dates - blend again 

• Add the powders (cacao, carob), cinnamon and flavour extracts - blend again

• Depending on your blender and how sticky your dates are, you may need to add all of the water, more water or less water…. you are looking for the mixture to stick together, not be too dry and not be mushy and wet. Start slow, add more if needed.

• Stir in chopped nuts

• Press into a brownie tray and set in fridge for at least 4 hours. 

• Top with chocolate of choice. 

CHOCOLATE TOPPING OPTION

• 50g cacao paste

• 30g cacao butter

• 20g maple syrup

• 3 drops caramel extract (or vanilla)

• Pinch salt

• Chop cacao butter and paste into small pieces and use a bain-marie / or place in a metal bowl resting on a saucepan with a little water simmering. Turn pan onto lowest heat, occasionally stir cacao until melted.

• Add maple syrup (ideally room temperature and not cold), extracts and salt - use a whisk to stir until blended - or place in a small blender such as a nutribullet.

• spread over brownie and pop back in fridge to set

VARIATIONS

• Instead of adding water, try adding fresh berries instead

• If you love using superfoods, add a few teaspoons of your favourite powders - I love lions mane & cordyceps mushrooms

• If you prefer to avoid all sugars including dates and coconut sugar, I have another brownie recipe on my website which uses lower sugar sweeteners… click here Brownie — Anna Middleton