OK, so once upon a time there was this really healthy young lady and she used to make carob brownies, chocolate tofu mousse and eat quinoa with apple juice for breakfast each day. And she’d been at the gym when the doors opened at 6am. In the middle of a cold english winter. Yes folks, that would be me. Before children. Before marriage. Those were obviously my healthier (and skinnier) days.
So I’m no stranger to low fat recipes and I found this recipe for date and apple brownies. But surely they couldn’t taste good with no butter or chocolate and hardly any sugar in there. But I was wrong. They are really moist and delicious. Perfect if you are on a low sugar or low fat diet or health kick. And since I’m back at the gym I don’t feel too guilty about eating these brownies.
80g pecans
250g pitted dates
2 green apples – peeled, cored and quartered
80g water
120g self raising flour
50g cocoa
120g milk
1tsp vanilla extract
3 eggs
45g raw/brown/castor sugar
If you have a thermomix then you want to place your pecans and 70g dates in your TM bowl and pulse on turbo 3 times. Set aside. Place the rest of the dates and the apples into the bowl, cover with 80g water and cook 7 minutes at 100 degrees on speed 1. Puree for 10 seconds on speed 8 and then leave to cool a little while. Now add flour, cocoa, milk, vanilla, eggs and sugar to TM bowl and process for 25 seconds on speed 7. **Pour into a lined square cake/lamington tin, top with date and nut mixture and bake 20-25 minutes. When a knife comes out clean it’s done! Leave to cool in tin 5 minutes then lift out by paper and cool on cooling rack. Slice and enjoy. You won’t be disappointed.
before the oven!
No thermomix. No problem. Chop 70g dates and pecans roughly or as fine as you want for the brownie topping. Place remaining dates and apples in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to boil them simmer for about 10 minutes until the dates are soft and falling apart. Leave to cool slightly then puree this mixture. To the date mixture add your sugar and stir to combine. Then add in your eggs, milk and vanilla and combine. Sift in flour and cocoa and stir until it is all combined. Scrape down bowl well. You can do this brownie in your mixer, food processor or with a wooden spoon. Follow instructions above from **.
Thank you!! Just what I needed!
*drool*
I DEMAND you make me some.
Heh.
Very interesting recipe. We have tons of dates around here. I’ve heard of using applesauce instead of oil for moistness. Might have to give this a go. Have a great week. Tammy
Mmmm they look yummy! Just wondering, back on the 13th of july Post you promised an update on the Queensland Quilts next post – have I missed it? I wouldlove to know how things are going…
oh these look great… i’ll definitely be trying these! i’ve just been playing with some date recipes in my food processor too…
Yummy!
These actually do sound delicious Corrie, low fat option aside, I’m not usually a big fan of low fat anything, but I could be persuaded to make these for sure :o)
Thank you for posting this recipe. My husband bought a packet of dates, he thought I might like to eat them. They didn’t look anything like the ones I normally eat, so told him I would cook with it. I tried your recipe the day you posted it. It was delicious! The kids rated it 10/10, except the oldest (he only eats apples, has issues with texture). I loved it and you don’t get that heavy feel in the tummy after eating it. We had to stop and leave some for later.
Thank you again. (Might try it with orange juice next time to make it lactose free.)
CK
you forgot to write at how much degrees (celsius or fahrenheit) you bake it for 20 to 25 minutes and if it is a fan assisted oven or not.
I am RIGHT NOW making it and need to put it in the oven.
I made these today – big, big hit – thank you!
also – I hope you don’t mind, but I reproduced the recipe on my own blog (which is largely for my own reference!).