RECIPE: Vegan Raw Chocolate Brownie

Another raw recipe for you all! I just can’t get enough of them at the moment. Not only because I happen to have a pantry full of ‘raw’ ingredients, but also because they are so easy to make and taste sooo delicious (and healthy). This vegan raw chocolate brownie certainly takes the cake!

I had some of my vegan whipped cream in the refrigerator which I was confident would give the lift and lightness required in replicating one of my favourite – non raw – brownie recipes in the world (the recipe of which I will share with you all in the next week or so). And I have to say that it was certainly a success.

I have subsequently tried making this recipe without the vegan whipped cream (as it is quite a process making it – although well worth it!), and the recipe worked out equally well. Although it tastes quite different. Without the lightness and moisture of the vegan whipped cream the recipe becomes more of a slice than a brownie. Or is a brownie a kind of slice??? Either way, without the vegan whipped cream this recipe becomse more dense but equally as delicious. So feel free to cut out the vegan whipped cream if you wish.

Ingredients:

For the raw chocolate brownie base:

•  1 cup ROAR activated almonds (as they are more nutritious, easily digestible and extra crunchy)
• 1/2 cup ROAR cacao powder
• 2 tbsp ROAR coconut sugar (or any sweetener of your choice e.g. honey)
• 2 tbsp cacao butter (optional – it will just add a little more structure to your brownie)
• 1/2 cup virgin cold-pressed coconut oil
• 1 cup vegan whipped cream (follow the link for the recipe)
• 1 tbsp espresso coffee
• 1 tsp vanilla extract or seeds from 1 vanilla pod
• 1 orange zest
• 1 tiny pinch sea salt
• Sprinkling of ROAR raw cacao nibs or desiccated coconut for garnish

For the raw chocolate ganache:

• 2 tbsp ROAR cacao powder
• 1 tbsp ROAR coconut sugar
• 1 tbsp  virgin cold-pressed coconut oil

Method:

For the raw chocolate brownie base:

Blend the activated almonds until they reach the consistency of a coarse flour. Do this by pulsing the machine so as not to bring the oils out in the nut and turn it into nut butter (you would have to own a pretty powerful machine to do this so don’t stress).

Melt the coconut oil and cacao butter (if you are using) using a bain marie or on a low heat. Add all of the rest of the ingredients except the cacao powder and vegan whipped cream and blend together. You may have to use a spatula to mix them at this point depending on the type of blender you have.

Add the cacao powder and mix in thoroughly. You could have added it initially with the rest of the ingredients, but once you mix cacao powder with fat you have to be quite careful not to mix it too much, otherwise it will turn chalky. So best to add it last and do minimal mixing.

Then fold in the vegan whipped cream being gentle so as not to beat the air out of it.

Put the mixture into a dish of your choice to shape it and put in the freezer for about 10 minutes.

For the raw chocolate ganache:

Melt the coconut oil and mix all of the ingredients together. Pour on top of the brownie base after it has been in the freezer for ten minutes, sprinkle on the garnish and put back in to cool down for another 5 minutes. Store in the refrigerator.

Serve the vegan raw chocolate brownie on its own or with a nice cup of green tea to cut the richness of this dish. Believe me this brownie is very rich, unctuous and utterly irresistible. It is also very satisfying and healthy.