Chocolate

Gluten-free chocolate brownie recipe

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Looking for a gluten-free chocolate brownie recipe?Here at Liz Earle Wellbeing, we thoroughly enjoy a little chocolate now and again. After all, a little of what you fancy does you good.This delicious gluten-free brownie recipe is packed with antioxidants from the dark chocolate. Added walnuts provide all-important omega-3s. With this is mind, you needn’t feel so guilty about indulging!Use a chocolate that’s Fairtrade and high in cocoa content. A bar that has a cocoa content of 80% or over is ideal to maximise on the anti-oxidising properties and bioactive compounds contained within the cocoa beans.Studies show that dark chocolate’s high cocoa content causes an increase in blood circulation to the upper layers of the skin. These added blood vessels can help provide the healthy oxygenation your skin needs to help protect itself and give a youthful glow.Eating chocolate may also increase blood flow to the brain and be particularly helpful in preventing memory loss in older people. In a 30-day study, one group of pensioners drank two cups of low-fat hot cocoa every day. They outperformed another non-cocoa drinking group in a variety of mental and memory tests.You don’t need much sugar in this recipe because of the natural sweetness of the dates. Walnuts add a delicious crunch and a wealth of nutritional benefits too, including omega-3s to promote a healthy heart. Enjoy!

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Ingredients

  • 200g dark, fair-trade chocolate (80% or more cocoa content)
  • 100g gluten-free self-raising flour
  • 100g organic butter
  • 100g soft brown sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 150g pitted and stoned soft dates, roughly chopped
  • 75g chopped walnuts (optional)

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4 and line a shallow baking tray with parchment.
  2. Break the dark chocolate into a glass bowl with the butter and dates. Gently heat over a saucepan of hot water (make sure the bowl isn’t touching the bottom of the pan) until the butter and chocolate has melted and the dates have started to break down a bit, then remove from the heat.
  3. Whisk the eggs with the sugar in a large bowl with an electric beater until the mixture doubles in size. Once the chocolate, butter and date mixture has cooled slightly, gently fold it into the whisked eggs and sugar, then add in the walnuts (if using) and sieved flour and gently fold these into the mixture too using a figure of eight until well mixed.
  4. Pour the brownie mixture into the lined baking tray and bake in the oven for around 20 minutes, give or take a few minutes each way, depending how gooey you like your brownies. Leave to cool in the tin before cutting into squares, or alternatively eat warm straight out of the tin because you simply can’t resist temptation any longer!