DOUBLE-CHOC BROWNIES

I learnt so much from making these brownies (adapted from Gwyneth Paltrow’s unrated cookbook ‘My Father’s Daughter’). I was introduced to Agave Nectar, a beautiful mild-tasting natural sweetener that is lighter and cleaner tasting than honey. I purchased my first jar of unrefined, organic Coconut Oil and delighted in its rich tropical smell. Coconut oil has now replaced butter for me. Lastly, I used Spelt Flour for the first time, and have decided to cease buying white, processed flour from the supermarket shelves. And did I mention that the no egg, no butter and no artificial sugar brownies tasted out of this world?

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups white spelt flour
• 1 cup high-quality cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
• a pinch of fine salt
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1/2 cup light agave nectar
• 1 cup skim milk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla essence/extract
• 1 cup high-quality dark chocolate chips 

COOKING 

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius. Grease a baking dish with a small amount of coconut oil. 

2. Sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt together in a large bowl. In a seperate bowl, whisk together the coconut oil, agave nectar, maple syrup, milk and vanilla. Combine the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients, taking care not the overmix (as this results in tough brownies!). 

3. Pour half the batter into the baking dish. Sprinkle half the chocolate chips on top. Pour the remaining batter into the baking dish and sprinkle with the rest of the chocolate chips. Bake in the oven for around 30 minutes or until a toothpick or skewer has just a small amount of chocolate on it when it is inserted into the middle of the cake. Let it cool (if you can!), then cut into squares and serve warm. 

x E