My dessert of choice is usually always chocolate-themed. Over the past few months, I’ve had a couple of events to bake for and these have been my go-to. Easy as and a crowd-pleaser. They are definitely more of a treat, and I’d say they are more of a mix between a brownie and a flourless chocolate cake.
I read an article a few months ago that said ‘the amount of sugar we consume should be proportional to the joy and conversation with consuming it’ and it really resonated with me. What does that mean in terms of applying it to your own eating habits? It’s not hesitating to say yes to a slice of cake at a birthday, savouring a dessert on your anniversary dinner or baking something special for a family get together. As opposed to eating half a tub of ice cream when you get home, having to buy a chocolate bar every time you go to the supermarket or getting stuck into the biscuit tin at work ‘just because its there’. I’ve found that people who find balance have a much healthier relationship with food (mentally, and in terms of what they choose to eat).
I have seen first hand how deeming foods completely ‘out of bounds’ tends to be short-lived and can lead to very negative eating patterns down the track. So eat well, fill your plate with vegetables, drink plenty of water, get enough sleep and manage stress, but don’t be afraid of that slice of cake. It’s what we do 80% of the time that matters.
Ingredients
2 organic eggs
50g grass-fed butter
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
75g almond meal
100g block of 85% chocolate (I use Green & Blacks or Lindt)
150g coconut sugar
100g pecans, chopped
1 tsp baking powder
Pinch of salt
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
2. On a very low heat melt the butter. Once the butter has melted add in the coconut sugar and stir until well combined.
3. Melt the chocolate in a heat-proof bowl over a pan of simmering water until just melted. Remove from the heat and set aside.
4. Add the melted chocolate to the butter mixture and stir together. Then add the almond meal, baking powder, salt, vanilla extract and the eggs.
5. Add in the chopped pecans and mix them through the batter so they are evenly distributed.
6. Pour the brownie batter into a lined baking tray. Bake for 30-35 minutes. They should look moist, but a knife should come out clean. Resist the urge to dig in and leave them to sit for 20 minutes before removing from the baking tray.
I like serving mine with a dollop of organic cream or natural yoghurt and some seasonal berries.