Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Brownie
These brownies are perfectly moist but with a fantastic contrasting biscuit base. My boys who love chocolate adore these brownies which means they often disappear within a day of making them. Remember these brownies are chocolatey, gluten-free, dairy-free and simply delicious.
Ingredients for the Shortbread Base:
80 g ground almonds
60 g rice flour
100 g muscovado sugar (dark or light)
70 g dairy-free butter at room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
Ingredients for the Brownie:
300 g dark chocolate
130 g dairy-free butter at room temperature
2 large eggs at room temperature
175 g muscovado sugar (dark or light)
90 g Ragi Atta Flour (or Millet Flour)
1 tsp gluten-free baking powder
Method for the Shortbread:
Preheat the oven to 190°C / 170° Fan / 375°F / Gas Mark 5.
Mix all the dry ingredients into a bowl and rub in the butter until you have crumbs and finally mix in the vanilla.
You can use a food processor if you prefer.
Tip the prepared mixture into your lined brownie tin and press down into an even layer.
Bake in the oven for 10 minutes and then place on the cooling rack.
Method for the Brownie:
Whilst the shortbread is cooling, break 100 g of chocolate into chunks and set it aside in a bowl.
With the remaining 200 g of chocolate, break into pieces and place in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water.
Ensure the bowl is not in contact with the water, and melt slowly.
Once it is almost fully melted, stir well. At this point, you will need to take out 2 to 3 tablespoons of chocolate and place it in a bowl. This will be used to drizzle over the brownie later.
Add the butter to the chocolate and mix it until it has melted and combined. You should not have to put it back on the heat to achieve this.
In a large bowl or mixer combine the sugar with the eggs until it has thickened and is lighter in colour. This should take a few minutes by hand and around a minute with an electric mixer.
Slowly combine the melted chocolate with the sugar/egg mixture. Mix until glossy and repeat until all the chocolate is combined. The mixture at this point should be thick and glossy. Don’t rush this stage, however tempting it is!
Finally, mix in the Ragi Atta flour and baking powder. You will need to mix this until you are happy that they are combined evenly.
Pour the mixture carefully and evenly over the cooled shortbread.
Take your 100 g of set aside chocolate chunks and place them evenly over the surface. Press them in so they are stuck in the mixture.
Return the brownie tin to the oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes.
The brownie should be risen and fairly firm to the touch.
Using a skewer, check the centre. The skewer should have a sticky crumb attached. If the mixture appears to be uncooked then return to the oven.
If you are making this for the first time, then check your brownie after 25 minutes.
Cool completely in the tin for at least one hour before melting the set-aside chocolate and drizzle over the brownie.
Finally, leave to cool for a further 2 hours before serving.
Additional Notes:
Add nuts, cherries or berries to the mix to make this brownie uniquely yours.
Alternatively serve as a pudding with Coconut Whipped Cream, Vanilla ice cream and Berries of your choice.
This can be frozen or kept for a week in an airtight container.
Equipment Used:
20 cm Brownie Tin Lined
Cooling rack
Spoon
Bowls
Pan
Measuring Scales
Food Processor or Blender.