Napa Farmhouse 1885™: Chocolate Cake Brownies (Refined Sugar Free)

How can you celebrate Valentine's Day without chocolate? Lots and lots of chocolate. I love these brownies because they are not too sweet, not too heavy, not too anything. The secret ingredient is a bit of dry red wine. The alcohol evaporates during the baking process, but leaves behind a richness that works really well with the chocolate. I love the fact that the recipe is fast & easy and uses only one bowl and one pan...Hand mixed...no mixer or processor needed. My husband is addicted to these brownies and we often have them for dessert with the last of the bottle of wine from dinner.

I love taking traditional recipes and tweaking them to be healthier. The trick is the finished dish has to remain delicious. These brownies are a perfect example. Made with extra virgin olive oil, unsweetened organic cocoa powder, coconut milk and coconut sugar, instead of refined white sugar, they are light, "cakey", and really, really moist. If I had my way, I would use all white whole wheat flour. But Peter is not a fan, so the compromise is 1/2 and 1/2. You cannot taste the whole wheat but I feel better knowing it is there. Perfect as is, you can gild the lily, albeit lose some of the healthiness, by serving with ice cream, whipping cream or crème à l'anglaise. Enjoy...and Happy Valentine's Day everyone!

Chocolate Cake Brownies (Refined Sugar-Free)
(makes 16 2x3 inch brownies)

2 eggs
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for pan
1 3/4 cups coconut milk (from the dairy case, not canned)
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract (organic if you can)
1/3 cup dry red wine
1 cup plus 2 tbsp organic coconut sugar
1 cup organic white, whole wheat flour
1 cup organic unbleached flour
1 cup organic unsweetened cocoa powder (look for 100% cocoa, nothing else added. (I use the Now Real Food brand)
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 dark chocolate chips
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 8 x 12 glass baking dish with olive oil. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, add the eggs and, using a wooden spoon, beat the eggs until frothy. Stir in the 3/4 cup oil, coconut milk, vanilla and red wine. Add the 1 cup coconut sugar and stir until dissolved. Add the whole wheat flour and stir until just mixed. Repeat with the unbleached flour, then the cocoa powder stirring until just combined. (do not overmix). Stir in the baking powder, soda and salt. Stir in the chocolate chips and walnuts.

Pour into prepared pan, smoothing top evenly. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tbsp coconut sugar over the brownie batter and place in oven.

Bake for 20 minutes. Rotate pan and bake for another 10-15 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the center of pan comes out almost clean.

Remove from oven, set on rack and cool for 40 minutes or until just warm. Cut into squares and serve as is or with ice cream, whipped cream or crème à l'anglaise. Top with raspberries if desired.
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