Sugar-free chocolate brownies

Ingredients

• Sunflower oil, for oiling
• 200g (7oz) butternut squash
• 100g (3 ½ oz) unsalted butter, chopped
• 2 teaspoons stevia powder
• 75g (3oz) no-added-sugar plain dark chocolate, broken into pieces
• 3 eggs
• 100g (3 ½ oz) pitted dried dates
• 50g (2oz) wholemeal plain flour
• 50g (2oz) white plain flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 50g (2oz) walnuts, chopped

Method

Dates and roasted butternut squash help to provide the all-important ‘squidge’ factor in these brownies and also offer a great way to give kids extra nutrients.

Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/400°F/Gas Mark 6. Lightly oil a 20cm (8-inch) square baking tin with sunflower oil, or line the tin with baking parchment.

Deseed the butternut squash and chop into pieces about 2.5cm (1 inch) square. You can keep the skin on – it provides extra nutrients and you’ll never notice it in the finished brownies. 

Spread the chopped squash out in the baking tin and roast for 20 minutes until soft. Leave to cool for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, place the butter, stevia powder and chocolate in a saucepan over a low heat, stirring occasionally. As soon as most of it has melted, remove the pan from the heat. Leave to stand until everything has melted.

Place the roasted squash, eggs and dates in a food processor and process for about 1 minute until the mixture is as smooth as possible. Now add both flours, the baking powder and salt, followed by the melted chocolate mixture. 

Process for about 30 seconds until everything is really well combined. Stir in the walnuts.

Spread the mixture across the baking tin and smooth it flat with a spatula. 

Bake for 12–15 minutes until the brownie has shrunk away from the sides of the tin but is still squidgy in the middle. Leave to cool in the tin, then cut into 16 pieces.

Make it dairy-free

Use dairy-free margarine in place of butter for a dairy-free version of this recipe.

Sensationally Sugar Free by Susanna Booth, published by Hamlyn, £20 www.octopusbooks.co.uk

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