menu.png
VL
Posted by

Victoria Lagodinsky

February 26, 2014

recipe for gluten free, low sugar brownies

Gluten-free and low sugar, Nicola Graimes’ Chocolate and Brazil Nut Brownies are the perfect sweet treat

 

These scrumptious brownies make a wonderful treat with their ‘fudgey’ texture and nutty chocolate flavour. They’re also gluten-free so are suitable for coeliacs. Brazil nuts are particularly rich in the mood-enhancing mineral selenium – a single nut a day will ensure that you are not deficient in this mineral. The occasional Chocolate & Brazil Nut Brownie will satisfy any desire for something sweet without you having to overindulge. Fructose is used in this recipe as this natural sugar doesn’t cause irregular blood-sugar levels in the same way that refined sugar does.

 

Chocolate and Brazil Nut Brownies (low sugar, and gluten-free!)

 

Serves 16
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 25-30 minutes

 

100g/3½oz/heaped cup unsalted butter or polyunsaturated spread, plus extra for greasing
150g/5½oz plain chocolate (70% cocoa solids), broken into squares
1 tsp vanilla extract
100g/3½oz/scant 1 cup ground almonds
85g/3oz/scant ½ cup fructose
40g/l½oz/¼ cup Brazil nuts, roughly chopped
4 eggs, separated

 

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°C/Gas 4. Grease and line the base of a 20cm/8in square tin. Melt the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl placed over a saucepan of gently simmering water, making sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water.
2. Remove the bowl from the heat, stir, then leave to cool slightly. Stir in the vanilla extract, ground almonds, fructose and Brazil nuts and mix well until combined. Beat the egg yolks lightly, then stir them into the chocolate mixture.
3. Whisk the egg whites in a grease-free bowl until they form stiff peaks. Using a metal spoon, stir a spoonful of the whites into the chocolate mixture to slacken it, then fold in the remaining egg whites until they are well combined.
4. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and bake in the preheated oven for 20–25 minutes until risen and firm on top but still slightly gooey in the centre. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin, then turn out, remove the baking parchment and cut into 16 squares.
Can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

 

Find more delicious, simple-to-make recipes using naturally sweet foods and alternative flavourings in Quick & Easy Low-sugar Recipes by Nicola Graimes. Savoury foods can also be surprisingly high in added sugar too, particularly canned foods and sauces, and you’ll find specially adapted recipes for healthier, low-sugar alternatives.