Chia and chocolate fudge brownies

This recipe is the taste of true chocolate and combines all that Clarrie strives for with his food – fresh, homemade and organic. It’s simple to make, quick to bake and delicious to eat! The chia gives it a unique flavour, as does the authentic chocolate. Use more or less honey to flavour the chocolate, depending on how dark you like your chocolate.

• serves

  16

• prep

  20 minutes

• cook

  35 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

Chocolate

• 80 g cacao butter
• 3 tbsp agave
• 55 g cacao powder, sifted

Brownies

• 250 g unsalted butter
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 cup honey
• 1 cup chia seeds
• ¾ cup plain or buckwheat flour
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 2 tsp vanilla essence
• 1 cup crushed hazelnuts

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease a baking pan (38 cm x 25 cm x 2.5 cm) and line with foil.

In a small saucepan, add about 2 cm of water. Bring to a simmer and sit a heatproof bowl over the pan, ensuring the base does not touch the water. Place the cacao butter into the bowl and remove the pan from the heat. Allow the residual heat to melt the butter. Add the agave syrup and mix well. Mix in the cacao powder in three batches. Remove the bowl from the saucepan. You should have about 1 cup of liquid chocolate.

Place the butter in a small saucepan. Pour in the chocolate mixture and stir until the butter is incorporated. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool.

Add the salt and honey, and stir to combine. Repeat with the chia seeds and flour. Add the egg, stirring as you go, then add the vanilla essence. Fold in the hazelnuts and stir.

Pour the brownie mixture into the prepared baking pan and bake for 25–30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out almost clean.

Remove from oven and allow to cool. Turn out onto a wire rack and cut into squares to serve.

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.