I hesitate to call these brownies, for I believe by their very nature, brownies should be absolutely chock full of butter, sugar, chocolate and all things naughty and nice. For a true brownie, please refer to my other recipes Best Brownies and Deeply dark espresso brownies

Having said that, if you’re looking for a healthier or vegan treat – these resemble a decent brownie in all but the ingredients- they are sweet and chocolately, with a dense fudgy centre and crisp top. They are free from refined sugar, dairy, eggs and gluten, but still very delicious.  This recipe makes 16 small brownies, as they are quite rich and just a small square feels like plenty.

Ingredients

300g pitted medjool dates

100g ground almonds

100g cocoa powder

1/2 tsp gluten free baking powder

1/2 tsp sea salt

5 tbsp maple syrup

2 tbsp vanilla extract

Method

Heat the oven to 180.  Grease and line a 20 x 20 cm square baking tin. Boil the kettle, put the dates into a small bowl, then cover with boiling water and leave to soak for 10 minutes.

Drain the dates and put them into a food processor.  Whizz to a smooth paste, scraping down the sides of the processor a couple of times until all the lumps are gone. Add the rest of the ingredients to the food processor and whizz again until well mixed, then spoon into the pan and smooth over.

Transfer to the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Allow to cool in the tin for around half an hour before tipping onto a board and slicing into small squares.

Store in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze for up to 1 month.