Recipe courtesy of Tenderheart by Hetty Lui McKinnon, Macmillan Publishers, RRP $69.99
Many years ago, a friend gave me an uncredited recipe printed from the internet for something called ‘chocolate heartbreak cake’. The rich, super-moist chocolate cake tasted like any other, except it curiously contained a whole eggplant. I gleefully made this recipe for my family, buoyed by the knowledge that the cake was the keeper of secrets. I was never the parent to disguise vegetables in food for my kids, but with eggplant a polarising vegetable to my then-young children, this felt like a victory. Years later, after some research, I discovered that this unusual chocolate cake recipe was from a cookbook by Harry Eastwood called Red Velvet & Chocolate Heartache, which used vegetables to replace the fats in recipes. This brownie is inspired by that cake, but I’ve gone even further and made it gluten free and vegan. The result is a lush, fudgy brownie, fiercely chocolatey and irresistibly nutty from the almonds.
MAKES 16 × 5 CM SQUARES
Ingredients
- 1 large eggplant (about 400 g)
- 250 g (1 1⁄4 cups) dark chocolate chips (vegan or regular)
- 150 g (3⁄4 cup) brown sugar
- 110 g (1 cup) almond flour
- 50 g (1⁄2 cup) cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 50 g (1⁄2 cup) flaked almonds
Method
- Preheat the oven to 200°C. Grease a 20 cm square baking tin (or a smaller tin if you want thicker brownies) with non-stick oil spray and line with baking paper. Line a baking tray with foil.
- Prick the eggplant all over with a fork, then slice in half vertically through the stem. Place the eggplant, cut-side down, on the prepared baking tray, then transfer to the oven and roast for 30–40 minutes, until the eggplant feels very soft to the touch. Remove from the oven and allow the eggplant to cool for a few minutes until you can handle it comfortably. Using a large spoon, scoop out the so flesh and discard the skin. There are faster ways to cook your eggplant – you could peel, cube and steam it for 8–10 minutes, or microwave on high for 8 minutes.
- Place the hot eggplant in a bowl and add 1 cup of the chocolate chips. Stir until the chocolate is melted. Add the sugar and stir vigorously until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is glossy.
- Place the almond flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and sea salt in a small bowl and whisk to combine.
- Add the dry ingredients to the chocolate–eggplant mixture and fold well, until everything is combined. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and spread evenly. Top with the almonds and remaining 1⁄4 cup of chocolate chips.
- Transfer to the oven and bake for 30–35 minutes, until the sides of the brownie look puffed and the surface feels firm to the touch. Remove the tin from the oven and allow to cool completely, then cut into 16 squares. These brownies are soft and fudgy – place them in the fridge for a few hours or overnight for a firmer texture.
Storage: These brownies keep well in the fridge for about 4 days.
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