Hello, beautiful people, Let me start by saying this: I deeply despise coming up with 'eye-catching' names for my blog posts (ha!). Delish Cacao Brownie feels on point, so, here we go friends.
This cacao brownie is moist, yummy and most important (if you value health), it gives to your health! AKA, it doesn't take from your energy. It also happens to be gluten and dairy free (not that I measure health this way). If, like me, you enjoy doubling down on all the health benefits when you cook/create, cacao will more than likely be a staple in your kitchen cupboard.
I've riffed on Cacao and it's origins in my Soul-Enriching Cacao blog post (perfect for those crisp mornings). The story goes that Raw Cacao is an ancient plant medicine that has been used for centuries to heal the mental, physical and spiritual body. It's used as a creativity enhancer, energy booster (it's naturally packed with caffeine), and facilitator of deep inner connection.
With that being said, not all Cacao is made equal. I deeply encourage the use of a high quality organic brand. I source mine from the local whole-foods shop (you could try Scoop Wholefoods, The Source Bulk Foods, or Naked Foods if you're local to Australia).
For ceremonial cacao (I know, totally off-topic, but that's how I roll). You'll want something like this. It will rock your world. This is not a sponsored post, my friends. I just feel lit the F up when I get to share what I wholeheartedly believe in.
Remember, I NEVER liked cooking until I gave myself permission to fuck it up. You have total permission to play here!
You can use the following recipe to make a small round or square cake or a small 'brownie loaf' (I do the latter).
Ingredients (Roughly):
1 Cup Organic Medjool Dates
1/2 Cup Organic Almond Butter
1/4 Cup Organic Pure Maple Syrup
2 Organic Eggs
2 Tsp Vanilla Bean Extract (Fairtrade where possible)
1/3 Cup Organic Cacao
3/4 Cup Organic Almond Flour (Almond Meal)
1 Tsp Baking Powder
1 Tsp Pink Himalayan Salt
2 Tbsp 85% Dark Choc (optional)
Method:
Turn the oven on to approximately 160-180 degrees celsius (fan-forced), and use olive oil or coconut oil to line your baking dish or use a non-stick silicone tray.
Blitz the dates and almond butter in a food processor. If your dates are 'hard', try soaking them in boiling water for a few minutes prior to blitzing. If you don't have a food processor, treat yourself. I have absolutely zero alternatives for you, my love! Add the remaining ingredients and blitz until smooth, scraping down the sides as you go.
Add the brownie mixture to your baking tray, and pop in the oven for approximately 20-30 mins.
I don't like to cook mine all the way through. It gives it that beautiful chewy texture! I'd check it at 20 mins and every 3-5 mins after that.
Enjoy, beautiful human! (don't forget to tag me in your brownie baking adventures ;))