Raw Chocolate Brownies

Luxurious Dense Chocolate Brownie Snack Bar Slices

We met Fran Hale when we were conducting a fermentation weekend at Mark Diacono’s Otter Farm in England and she gave us her fabulous Brownie recipe, which is now much enjoyed by our course participants on arrival.

Makes 16 squares

INGREDIENTS

·         1.5 cups / 150g walnuts

·         1 cup / 100g pecans

·         1 cup / 160g medjool dates, pitted (double for ordinary dried dates about 44 dates)

·         1 cup / 75g cacao powder

·         1 tsp / 1/2 pod vanilla extract

·         pinch of sea salt

·         1/4 cup / 30g raisins (blackcurrants/sultanas/currants)

·         1/4 cup / 35g cacao nibs or chocolate chunks

METHOD

1.      Whizz the walnuts and pecans in a food processor and process until finely ground

2.      Add the cacao powder, vanilla extract and sea salt and pulse to combine

3.      Add the dates and process until the mixture begins to stick together

4.      Transfer to a mixing bowl

5.      Stir in the raisins and nibs

6.      Line an 8x8" tin with baking parchment and press the mixture firmly into it
to ensure that the brownies are really dense and compressed

7.      Chill for around 2hrs. Remove from the tin and cut into slices