Pistachio brownies

Ingredients

• 175 g coconut oil or butter
• 200 g good-quality dark chocolate, minimum 70% cocoa solids, roughly chopped
• 50 g ground almonds
• 75 g coconut flour
• 10 g cocoa powder
• 150 g coconut sugar
• 50 ml maple syrup
• 3 medium eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 100 g pistachios, roughly chopped

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas mark 4. Grease and line a 20 cm square tin with greaseproof paper.  

Add the oil or butter and chocolate to a pan. Melt over a very low heat and allow the mixture to melt, stirring occasionally. As soon as the chocolate and fat has melted, remove from the heat and set aside.

Sprinkle the ground almonds into a large mixing bowl, breaking up any lumps as you go. Sift over the coconut flour and cocoa powder.

In a separate bowl, beat together the coconut sugar, maple syrup and eggs with an electric whisk until foamy and paler in colour – this will take about 3–4 minutes.

Pour the eggy mixture over the dry ingredients and use a large metal spoon to gently fold the mixture through. Pour over the melted chocolate, vanilla extract and three quarters of the pistachios and carefully fold through, so as not to knock out too much air.

Place the mixture into the prepared tin, sprinkle over the remaining pistachios and bake for 20–25 minutes, until crisp on top and just set. Allow to cool slightly before cutting into squares.

Note

• The brownies will keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

From The Goodness of Coconut: 40 Irresistible Energy-Packed Recipes by Emily Jonzen, photography by Clare Winfield (Kyle Books, $19.99).