The name says it all here. These dark chocolate brownies from Practically Raw Desserts by Amber Shea Crawley are love at first bite. Ultimate Raw Brownies are perfect sweet treats for summer, as they require no heat to prepare. If you’re celebrating Rawgust by eating raw foods this August, they really are the ultimate dessert with which to end your meal.
Ultimate Raw Brownies
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups dry pecans
- 1 cup dry walnuts
- 1/2 cup cacao powder
- 1/4 cup coconut palm sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 heaping cup pitted dates
- 1/2 batch Sugar-Free Chocolate Ganache (recipe follows)
Preparation
- In a food processor, combine the pecans, walnuts, cacao powder, sugar (if using), vanilla, and salt. Pulse until the nuts are finely ground (be careful not to overprocess). Add the dates, 2 to 3 at a time, pulsing between additions until each date is well-incorporated and the mixture is sticky. You can add water, 2 teaspoons at a time, if needed to help it come together. Press the mixture firmly and evenly into an 8- or 9-inch square baking pan (lined with plastic wrap for easy removal, if desired) and place in the freezer to chill while you prepare the Sugar-Free Chocolate Ganache.
- Remove the pan from the freezer and pour the ganache icing over the brownies, tilting the pan to spread it around evenly. Serve immediately (they’ll be delightfully oozy!) or refrigerate until ready to cut and serve.
- Store the brownies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week or in the freezer for up to a month. You can eat them cold or bring them to room temperature before serving.
Yield: 16 servings
Sugar-Free Chocolate Ganache
This thick, rich, and versatile fudge sauce is pure decadence on a spoon—yet it’s sugar-free!
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup melted coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon pure stevia powder (or equivalent sweetener of choice), or to taste
- Big pinch of sea salt
- 1/2 cup cacao powder
Preparation
Combine the coconut oil, vanilla, stevia, and salt in a high- speed blender. Blend on low to combine. Add the cacao powder and blend again on low speed until smooth. (Alter- natively, whisk all ingredients together in a medium bowl until smooth and combined.) Taste for sweetness and add additional stevia if desired. Use immediately or transfer to a glass jar and keep at room temperature until ready to use. The ganache will thicken up as it sits; you can use it as- is for a fudgy frosting, or re-liquefy it by placing the jar in a warm dehydrator or in a bowl of warm water, stirring occasionally.
Store in a glass jar or airtight container at room tempera- ture for up to 4 days or in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, bringing to room temperature again before serving.
Yield: about 1 cup
Printable Ultimate Brownie recipe:
- 1½ cups dry pecans
- 1 cup dry walnuts
- ½ cup cacao powder
- ¼ cup coconut palm sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 heaping cup pitted dates
- ½ batch Sugar-Free Chocolate Ganache (recipe follows)
- In a food processor, combine the pecans, walnuts, cacao powder, sugar (if using), vanilla, and salt. Pulse until the nuts are finely ground (be careful not to overprocess). Add the dates, 2 to 3 at a time, pulsing between additions until each date is well-incorporated and the mixture is sticky. You can add water, 2 teaspoons at a time, if needed to help it come together. Press the mixture firmly and evenly into an 8- or 9-inch square baking pan (lined with plastic wrap for easy removal, if desired) and place in the freezer to chill while you prepare the Sugar-Free Chocolate Ganache.
- Remove the pan from the freezer and pour the ganache icing over the brownies, tilting the pan to spread it around evenly. Serve immediately (they’ll be delightfully oozy!) or refrigerate until ready to cut and serve.
- Store the brownies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week or in the freezer for up to a month. You can eat them cold or bring them to room temperature before serving.
Ingredients
• ¾ cup melted coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ⅛ teaspoon pure stevia powder (or equivalent sweetener of choice), or to taste
• Big pinch of sea salt
• ½ cup cacao powder
Preparation
Combine the coconut oil, vanilla, stevia, and salt in a high- speed blender. Blend on low to combine. Add the cacao powder and blend again on low speed until smooth. (Alter- natively, whisk all ingredients together in a medium bowl until smooth and combined.) Taste for sweetness and add additional stevia if desired. Use immediately or transfer to a glass jar and keep at room temperature until ready to use. The ganache will thicken up as it sits; you can use it as- is for a fudgy frosting, or re-liquefy it by placing the jar in a warm dehydrator or in a bowl of warm water, stirring occasionally.
Store in a glass jar or airtight container at room tempera- ture for up to 4 days or in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, bringing to room temperature again before serving.
Yield: about 1 cup
Recipes from Practically Raw Desserts by Amber Shea Crawley. ©2013 Amber Shea Crawley. Used by permission from Vegan Heritage Press.
