Grain-free brownies

Well, for no particular reason, other than we are in some weird times, I wanted to eat brownies. Also, because sometimes I can be a little rigid with myself - with intermittent fasting and wanting vegetables at each meal and all this business - I'm bringing in a little more intuitive eating. Like, maybe I will not have some major health fallout if I don't eat greens most days?!

So, I did not wait for my birthday, or someone else's birthday, and just made them. And so far, I am thoroughly enjoying my brownie encounters. These are good. Not overly sweet. Chocolatey, more dense than cake, but not fudge-like. Eating them feels really satisfying, unlike some treats I might get myself (the GF cream puffs at the co-op, for example) that actually are NOT that good, in the end. Last time I ate said cream puffs, they were dry and under-whelming. 

I recently saw a tiktok video by BlackForager (Alexis Nikole), who I LOVE, of her acorn flour pancakes. (I wish I was savvy enough to upload a tiktok video here, but alas, I am not.) It makes me think, hmmm, these brownies with acorn flour?! That would be the most stunning of treats, so maybe I'll see about making that happen. (Also check out her cattail song!)

So. These brownies are sweetened with dates and dark chocolate, and come together pretty easily in the food processor. One of my chocolate bars had some cayenne in it, which I get a little kick of in the brownies. I baked mine in a 9" cast iron skillet, though it was lined with parchment and my batter was fairly thick and didn't spread all the way out. The original recipe (another Mark's Daily Apple one) was baked in a 7" square baking pan, which reportedly resulted in thick brownies that could easily be thinner. So - go with something in this sort of size arena. (Note the original also has instructions for a keto, sugar-free version if you are interested.)

Ingredients (for 10-12 brownies)

• ¼ cup Salted Butter
• 3.5 oz. (100g) 70% Chocolate, chopped
• 1/4 cup Full Fat Coconut Milk
• 10 Dates, soaked (I used mostly Medjool, with a few Deglet)
• 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 cup Almond Flour
• 5 Tbsp. Cacao Powder
• 2 Large Eggs

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Set up a double boiler by filling a pot with a few inches of water and placing it over medium heat. Once it begins to boil, reduce to a simmer and place a heat-safe bowl on top of the pot. Add the chopped chocolate and butter to the bowl and gently mix using a spatula until the mixture is melted.

Soak the dates in hot water for at least 10 minutes. Drain the dates and add the dates, coconut milk and vanilla extract to a food processor. Blend until the mixture is fairly smooth, making sure to stop the processor occasionally to scrape down the sides. Add the chocolate and butter mixture and pulse a few more times. Add the almond flour and cocoa powder and pulse until combined. Add the eggs and blend until smooth.

Pour the brownie batter into a greased or parchment lined baking dish (a 7”x7” but made fairly thick brownies, so you can also use a larger dish). Feel free to top with chopped chocolate or walnuts. Bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until the center is fairly firm. Allow the brownies to fully cool before slicing.*

*I couldn't resist and ate some before they were all the way cool. They are better cool, FYI. 

Dark Chocolate Chunks with Fleur de Sel

My birthday is this week, so I am making a treat!
Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup quality coconut oil Note: if you do not want your chocolate to taste coconutty, you can opt for quality refined expeller-pressed coconut oil which does not have a coconut flavor. 
• 3/4 cup  cocoa powder
• 3/4 cup liquid sweetener—honey, maple syrup, agave, molasses, or a mix
• 1 tsp vanilla extract OR a good scraping of vanilla beans
• Optional: Fleur de sel or large grained seas salt

Instructions:

Melt the coconut oil in a small saucepan, then add in the rest of the ingredients (except the fleur de sel). 
 





 Special bonus tip: I used my mom's old crisco measuring via cold water displacement trick to measure the coconut oil.  Less messy when it is hard. 




 Whisk together thoroughly. Turn off heat.  This happens fast.

To make chunky dark chocolate bars, line a baking dish with parchment paper, and pour in the chocolate. Refrigerate until hardened (it doesn’t take very long). Then, either cut into bars or break into chunks. If you want to add a sprinkling of fleur de sel, do so.

Another yummy idea: chop and toast some nuts, like almonds, and add to the top or bottom.  (I love this with toasted chopped almonds!)

Be sure to store your chocolate in the refrigerator or even the freezer so it doesn’t get melty. Coconut oil liquifies at 76 degrees.

You can also use this chocolate for dipping things like fruits, nuts, marshmallows, or pretzels.

Paleo Hot Chocolate

Well, I keep thinking that I am going to do a Whole30 again any day now, but I don't seem ready yet. I'm not quite in the holiday feasting mode, but I'm still consuming a fair share of chocolate. Yum! Including some hot chocolate that I have refined to a fine art to make the most stellar cup.

I also want to share my song of the week here (occasionally I get obsessed with a song and listen to it on repeat): O Superman by Laurie Anderson. You can play the video while you consider making a cup of hot chocolate. I don't know why I love this song so much, but I really do. It makes me want to find a group of other people so that we can do our own acapella version of it.

My friend and fellow blogger Jane first inspired the paleo hot chocolate - she made me a delicious cup that helped me see the wonder of coconut milk hot cocoa (previously I was sort of dismayed to not use any dairy cream in there). My recipe includes a honey/stevia combo - but you could easily sub one or the other. I like this best with pretty equal ratios of coconut milk to water but you can use whatever ratio you like.

Paleo Hot Chocolate (1 serving)
4 oz coconut milk
5 oz water
pinch of good quality salt
1 tsp honey
4 drops stevia
1/8 tsp cinnamon
2 heaping tsp cocoa powder (sugar free)
1/8 tsp vanilla
ground nutmeg

1. Heat coconut milk and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. As it is heating, add the honey, stevia, salt, and cinnamon.
2. Once the liquid is steaming (so that you can see the steam rising up), whisk/stir in the cocoa powder. Doing it at this stage (when the milk is steaming) helps the cocoa powder to dissolve and mix thoroughly so you don't get clumps.
3. Continue stirring until hot chocolate just barely starts to simmer. Add vanilla extract and sprinkle nutmeg (the freshly ground stuff is the best) on top. Pour in a mug and sip decadently.

Chocolate date balls

I decided to make chocolate date balls as part of my recent/ongoing feasting. The half batch I made was such a hit (with myself and My Charming Companion), that we are now going to make another batch to bring on next week's cabin excursion. This next batch is going to get a little extra glam with some experimental cointreau liqueur added to the batch. ! (Cointreau is gluten free, btw.) These tasty little things are pretty over the top delicious. They are like fudge, but not so sweet and way better (which having had a square or two of fudge this past week, I WAY prefer these date balls). And they are easy to make.

Chocolate Date Balls
1 c whole pecans (walnuts would work too)
1 1/3 cups pitted dates (I used medjool)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 tablespoons quality cocoa powder
good pinch of nice sea salt

Garnish with: Maldon (or other) sea salt, toasted shredded coconut, toasted pistachios...?

1. Place ingredients in a food processor and process on high until the mixture becomes paste-like. 
2. Wet your hands with water (so the dough won't stick to them) and roll the “dough” into 1-inch balls. Set on a baking sheet or plate.
3. Garnish!
Sea salt: Put a few tablespoons of sea salt on a plate and dip the top of the fudge bombs into the salt.
Coconut: Toast coconut on a dry cast iron skillet for 3-5 minutes on medium heat until lightly browned. Stir often! Put a few tablespoons of shredded coconut on a plate and roll the date ball in the coconut, pressing it into the sides of the ball with your hands.
Pistachios: Toast whole pistachios on a dry cast iron skillet for 5-6 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat and chop finely. Role the date ball in the pistachios, pressing them into the sides of the ball.
5. Set date balls in fridge for 30-60 minutes to firm up, then eat.Yum!

Chocolate chia seed pudding

I went to a big "harvest dinner" this week and ate all kinds of things that I have not been eating lately. Like wine, potatoes, and sugar - in several forms, including flourless chocolate cake. My Charming Companion asked, "Did you get romantic with that cake?" (referring to a line from It Starts with Food where they recommend eating dessert type treats with some romance. They want you to take your cookie on a date and really get cozy with it - or some such similar sentiment.) Mine was a hurried love - I was overly excited and perhaps rushed things a bit. I was wired afterwards and the next several days keep feeling hungry, hungry, hungry. Is that the sugar? I don't know for sure, but seems likely.

Other discoveries post my Whole30 - I guess I do react to dairy. My nose seems to have a tendency to be a bit wet whether I eat dairy or not, but there is significant dripping when I do. So. I don't know what I'll do with that information. Maybe not have so much dairy. We'll see.

In the wake of my sugar crash, I did decide to make this minimally sweetened chocolate pudding. It has only 5 ingredients: dark chocolate (I used my fave 80% Equal Exchange), chocolate powder, chia seeds, coconut milk, and vanilla. At first bite, I thought it was not so sweet (it was the day after the flourless chocolate cake, afterall), but a couple of days later when I had ramekin number 2, I was totally sold. My Charming Companion found these pudding cups quite delicious and was totally prepared to eat them all if I was not into them.

With a drizzle of coconut milk!

Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding (4 servings)
1 14oz can coconut milk
2 oz dark chocolate, 70% or higher, chopped
1 T high quality cocoa powder
5 T chia seeds
2 tsp vanilla extract

1. Heat coconut milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir/whisk in chopped chocolate and cocoa powder.
2. When chocolate is all melted and the saucepan looks like delicious hot chocolate, turn off the heat and stir in the chia seeds and vanilla. *Do this while stirring continuously so that the seeds do not clump up at the bottom. Keep stirring as mixture starts to thicken.
3. Pour into individual serving cups or ramekins, and refrigerate for at least an hour until "pudding" is firm. Serve! (I ate mine plain, but it would probably be delicious with some whipped coconut cream and cinnamon sprinkled on top.)

Grain-Free Dark Chocolate Cherry Scones

I have not made anything remotely resembling a scone in a long time, but was inspired by Nom Nom Paleo's recipe for these scones this week (see the link for her lovely photos). Also I have next week off, so why not celebrate with Sunday morning scones!? I made them this morning and they were very tasty, and a bit unlike any other grain-free bread product I have made. Perhaps this was due to the chocolate involved, but they were a bit more dessert-like. Not overly sweet, but chocolatey, with a nice texture.

Scones and Tea! Next time I will shape the scone more...

Grain Free Scones - makes 8
3 cups blanched almond flour
1½ teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
4 tablespoons butter, as cold as possible (preferably frozen)
2 large pastured eggs
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 ounces of 80+% cacao dark chocolate, cut into bite-size chunks
⅓ cup dried cherries

1. Preheat oven to 350. Get out a baking sheet and piece of parchment paper (to be ready when things are sticky!)
2. Mix almond flour, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Grate chilled butter into the flour mixture with a cheese grater, and then cut the butter pieces in with a pastry cutter (or fork). You want the mixture to end up crumbly.
3. Whisk eggs, vinegar, honey, and vanilla in a small bowl. (If you need to heat your honey up to get it liquid, do that, and then put the whole mix in the fridge for 5-10 minutes to cool it down again.)
4. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the liquids. Use a spatula to mix everything together to get a wet, chunky dough. Add the cherries and chocolate chunks and stir to blend.
5. My dough was very sticky here, so I put it in the fridge for 20 minutes. The Nom Nom Paleo photos do not appear to have sticky dough, so I am not sure if it was due to my warm honey or what. In any case, form the dough into two balls (I wet my hands a bit to help with the stickiness) and move to parchment. Press the tops of the balls down to form flattened circles, about 3/4" thick. Cut each circle into 4 wedges and arrange on the parchment (which is on the baking sheet). My dough was so sticky I just left it in the circular shape and separated the wedges midway through baking. It's not as aesthetic, but still delicious.
6. Bake for 20-25 minutes, turning tray halfway through. They will get brown - check for doneness with a toothpick. Eat!

chocolate cake.

i made this cake for mary's birthday. i'm not usually a huge chocolate cake person but i love this cake. it's from "the sweeter side of amy's bread" which is very serious about baking and weighing all the ingredients and making sure everything is precise. but i don't weigh anything and so far it's all turned out alright.

CAKE:

7/8 cup unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped

1/2 c.+1 tbsp. sour cream

5 tbsp. cocoa powder

2 3/8 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 c. boiling water

2 c. flour

5/8 tsp salt

4 eggs

2 1/2 tsp vanilla

3/4 cup butter

1 3/4 cups dark brown sugar

-preheat oven to 350.

-butter and flour 2 9" cake pans

-melt the chocolate and set it aside to cool

-whisk together sour cream, cocoa, and baking soda until it is a smooth paste. very gradually add the boiling water until it is fully incorporated.

-in a separate bowl, combine flour and salt.

-in yet another bowl, whisk together the eggs and the vanilla.

-using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. add melted chocolate and mix well.

-add eggs

-add flour mixture in 3 parts, alternating with the liquid mixture and mix well.

-divide batter equally into two pans

-cook for 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

FROSTING:

3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 3/8 cups powdered sugar

3/4 cup cocoa powder

2 cups unsalted butter

1 tsp vanilla

1/8 tsp salt

-melt chocolate chips in double boiler and set aside to cool

-mix together powdered sugar and cocoa powder.

-cream butter until it's very light but not too soft.

-add sugar/cocoa powder mixture and mix well.

-add melted chocolate, vanilla, and salt and mix until incorporated.

-then stack the cakes up and slather on as much frosting as you can. keep at room temperature so the frosting doesn't get hard.

chocolate dipped coconut macaroons

better late than never. these were made for kp and e's 5th anniversary party. the recipe is shockingly quick and easy. they taste great and people tend to be impressed by chocolate-dipped anything. this little gem is straight from 'how to eat supper' by lynne rossetto kasper--of 'splendid table' fame. her syrupy sweet voice drives me crazy but the woman knows what she's doing in the kitchen.

2 lg eggs, beaten
1/2 c sugar
generous pinch salt
1 teasp. almond or vanilla extract (i've done both with equally good results)
3 c shredded coconut

whisk eggs, sugar, salt, extract. blend coconut into mixture. drop by even tablespoons onto parchment paper lined cookie sheet. bake at 350 for 18-24 minutes.

melt semi-sweet chocolate chips in double boiler. i never measure my chips so use your best guess. spread chocolate on bottom of macaroons or dip top first into chocolate. let harden--putting them in the fridge helps in the summer heat.

makes at least a couple dozen.