Ingredients
Decadent, deeply chocolate, and especially fudgy, these miraculous
brownies are made without eggs, dairy or refined sugar. The prune puree
replaces most of the fat, enhances the chocolate, and adds a healthy
dose of fiber. The small amount of heart-healthy California Olive Ranch
Arbequina EVOO as the fat adds a fruity note. Glaze with my Vegan
Chocolate Ganache if you like, (See separate recipe) but know this brownie is very rich
unadorned.
For Brownies:
- ¾ cup whole wheat pastry flour
- ½ cup organic all purpose white flour
- 2 Tbs arrowroot
- 1 cup Dutch process cocoa powder
- ½ cup organic cane sugar
- 1 tsp aluminum-free baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- 3 Tbs (1.5 ounces) California Olive Ranch Arbequina EVOO, plus more for oiling pan
- 1 cup pure maple syrup, grade A dark amber
- ⅓ cup (2.6 ounces) prune puree (recipe below)
- 2 Tbs water
- 2 Tbs pure vanilla extract
- ½ tsp almond extract
- ½ cup walnuts, toasted, cooled and coarsely chopped
- (optional) ⅓ cup vegan chocolate chips
For Prune Puree: (Makes 2/3 - 1 cup)
- 6 ounces dried, pitted prunes
- 7 ounces boiling water, more if needed
Soak the prunes in water until very soft. Pour prunes and soaking liquid into a blender and blend until perfectly smooth. Use immediately or refrigerate up to 2 weeks in an airtight container.
Directions
- Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350˚ F. Oil a 9 x 9-inch pan with olive oil.
- Place a wire mesh strainer over a medium bowl. Add pastry flour, white flour, arrowroot, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt to the strainer and sift into the bowl. Stir with a wire whisk to distribute the ingredients.
- In a separate bowl, whisk oil, maple syrup, the prune puree, water and vanilla until very well blended. Pour into the dry ingredients and stir until smooth. Stir the walnuts, and the chocolate chips, if using into the batter. The batter will be thick.
- Spread the batter into the prepared pan evenly. Bake for 17-19 minutes, until the top looks dry and set, and the sides of the brownie have begun to pull away from the sides of the pan. A tester inserted into the center will be moist, and almost, but not quite wet. The brownies do firm as they cool.
- Place the baking pan on a wire rack and cool to room temperature. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate or freeze the brownies before cutting; cold brownies slice neatly. Store in the freezer, well wrapped, up to 1 month. The brownies taste great straight from the freezer!