This walnut brownie recipe is well overdue and in my opinion a highly welcome addition to the burgeoning list of chocolate recipes on this website.
It takes a brave woman (or man) to cook with coconut flour in my book; there was a time when I flicked it to the too hard basket, failures abound. Having said that I did have great success with the Coconut Flour Banana Muffins!
Actually, that reminds me of my days at the University of Tasmania, the sociology student determined to hand write every one of her lengthy essays instead of learning how to use a computer. I recall mentioning to a friend there was just no point, after uni I'd never need to use one again. Yeah, right Amy!
This recipes comes with a warning: do not make it whilst hungry. Doing so WILL ruin your lunch or dinner.
Now, before we jump into this (very yum) recipe I want to share some thoughts, to ensure your ultimate success. You kinda have to when you're mucking around with coconut flour, it's risky business.
Recipe notes:
1. I like my chocolate rich and dark and the recipes on this site demonstrate that. If you've a preference for less intensity, start with 1/2 cup cacao, stir and taste.*
2. In hindsight I should have stuck the pointy ends of my choc into the wet mixture, instead of laying them on top. I think immersing them in the mixture is a better idea and I didn't have time to remake the recipe just to show you that..
3. Do not over cook, coconut flour is dry. If anything, you're better to under cook because you can't go wrong with a gooey brownie, can you. (definitely rhetorical)
1 cup pumpkin puree
3 eggs
1/2 - 3/4 cup cacao*
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1/2 cup coconut flour
1 teaspoon vanilla powder (or 1/2 essence)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup walnuts
50 grams dark chocolate, roughly broken
Preheat your oven to 180 degrees celsius. You will ideally need an 8 x 8 inch cake tin. In the absence of one I used a 10 x 5 inch loaf tin. Grease generously with coconut oil.
In a bowl, whisk your eggs and combine the pumpkin. Stir in the dry ingredients, excluding the walnuts and chocolate pieces. Pour into your tin and create an even surface.
Next, dip your choc pieces evenly across the top and sprinkle the walnuts, pressing them lightly into the mixture.
Pop your tin into the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes. Check readiness with a skewer but remember, undercooked is a little better than over cooked when it comes to coconut flour brownies!
I think these are best eaten same day, warm from the oven. If not, they need to be refrigerated and will keep for 5 or so days. A gentle heating prior to eating is always encouraged (*licking lips).
I've decided that some time soon I'm going to create a nut based brownie, probably with walnut meal, just to try out different textures. I guess the good thing about this recipe is you can leave the walnuts out if you've a nut allergy.
As always, please don't hesitate to let me know now you go with these!
