Luke Hines’ Choc Espresso Brownies

Brownies are the perfect one bowl wonder, easy to throw together and always a crowd favourite. And this dairy-free version from Luke Hines is both deliciously fudgy and ideal for World Vegan Day.

Ingredients

  • Coconut oil, for greasing
  • 75 g (3/4 cup) almond meal
  • 2 tbs arrowroot or tapioca flour
  • 40 g (1/2 cup) cacao powder
  • 1 tsp gluten-free baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 150 g (1 cup) roughly chopped dark chocolate, plus extra, grated, to serve
  • 125 ml (1/2 cup) hot espresso coffee
  • 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or powder
  • 125 g peanut or almond butter
  • 125 ml (1/2 cup) maple syrup, coconut nectar or monk fruit syrup
  • Whipped Coconut Cream or Coconut Yogurt, to serve (optional)

Method

Step 1.
Preheat the oven to 180°C and line the base and sides of a 20 cm square baking tin with baking paper. Lightly grease the baking paper with some coconut oil.

Step 2.
Add the almond meal, arrowroot or tapioca flour, cacao powder, baking powder and salt to a bowl and whisk well to combine.

Step 3.
Add half the chocolate chunks to a separate bowl and pour over the hot coffee. Leave for 1 minute for the chocolate to soften and start to melt, then whisk well. Add the vanilla, nut butter and your sweetener of choice and whisk again to bring everything together.

Step 4.
Tip the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, whisking vigorously for 1–2 minutes to form a smooth, lump-free batter. Stir in the remaining chocolate chunks, then spoon the batter into the prepared tin and spread it out in an even, thin layer.

Step 5.
For fudgy brownies, bake for 16–18 minutes, or until the centre of the mix still looks soft but the edges have firmed. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for at least 1 hour before removing and cutting into pieces. (These softer brownies can be harder to remove from the pan in one piece.)

Step 6.
For chewy, cakey brownies, bake for 20–22 minutes, or until the mixture is firm all over and the surface is flaky and cracked. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 5–10 minutes before removing from the tin. These brownies are easier to remove in one piece.

Step 7.
Serve the brownies as they come, or with a dollop of whipped coconut cream and a sprinkle of grated chocolate, if you like. Any leftover brownies will keep stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Serves 8-12

 

eat more vegan Extract from 
Eat More Vegan by Luke Hines.
Available now. Published by Plum. Photography by Mark Roper. Go to Booktopia to purchase.
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