At the moment I am loving the book, Sweet Vegan . I have made a few recipes from it, and they generally turn out well, although I have tended to adapt them a bit as the ratios sometimes seem a bit off. I made these bars before, and think I have improved on them even more when I made them this week.
They are the front cover recipe, and this time look more like it (last time I used white chocolate to top them). Some went in this tub, some went in bags for various friends. Some went in the fridge for me too 🙂 It is super easy- you need a pan (I use a brownie pan which I think is 15 x 20cm) lined with baking paper.
I have adapted it a bit below- you could use your own brownie recipe but I think the base needs to be a bit firmer than usual to hold the topping on:
(Preheat the oven to 180C)
For the base, mix 260g plain flour (I used half wholemeal and half white) with 290g caster sugar (this was reduced from 340g, and I think I could reduce it further quite easily), 75g cocoa/carob powder, 1 tsp baking powder and 1 tsp salt. Then add in 200ml water, 90ml rapeseed oil (the recipe had 240ml but I though that would make the batter far too wet) and a tsp vanilla.
Pour this into the pan and bake for about 25 mins. Leave to cool.
For the mint filling, beat 90g spread (or butter) until smooth. Gradually add 190g icing sugar and gently mix together. Then add a few drops of mint extract- I think I added about 2 lid-fulls which is probably around a teaspoon. Once the base has cooled, spread it over the cooled brownie base.
Then melt some chocolate of your choice- around 150g, and pour this over the top, swirl/ make pretty patterns/ top with little stars. I cut them before the chocolate had properly set, otherwise it cracks. The recipe has more of a ganache style topping- melted chocolate and butter substitute, but I preferred the idea of plain chocolate.
I find these keep better in the fridge. The base is still quite squidgy, and of course the mint filling is very soft too.
I also made some more sourdough- I added the last of my Munchy Seeds to it- I am hoping that it still turns out well. I oiled the pan this time so fingers crossed! 🙂
Good luck to anyone running the Brighton half this weekend! And anyone else racing anywhere else too.
Any exciting plans for the weekend?
Can I say yum?! They look gorgeous, your family and friends must love you 🙂 Hope your bread came out nice! I’m looking forward to a nice relaxing weekend, can’t wait! Hope you have a good one x
Oooh, they look lovely!! I love the chocolate mint combo 🙂
I have a nice quiet weekend planned, luckily – recovering from Body Pump today (!) and then taking the children swimming tomorrow. Can’t believe half term is already over!
I do love chocolate and mint! Those slices look really nice!
Hope you are feeling alright! Hope the bread turns out well! 🙂
They look great; it’s all about the squidge factor when it comes to brownies!
I’m sure you’re right to modify though; 340g sugar and 240ml oil sounds much too much! I bet the Munchy Seeds were fab in the bread – hope you enjoyed it and have had a great weekend 🙂
These look absolutely delicious…I wish I’d seen this before going to the store this morning, I would have loved to try and make some. Brownie-type desserts are my favourite!
I think I need to get that book! Still going strong on the whole dairy free thing 🙂
Have also been inspired by your sourdough making and done my own – two loaves this week, so good! Leftovers did not make the best croutons though, it was like eating bullets! Best eaten fresh, I think! x
Phil I have found that it toasts really well- maybe I will abandon the crouton idea! Yes the book is really good- it does use egg replacer, (but you could swap in an egg instead)- it just has lovely ideas.
I hope the recipe turns out well if anyone else makes it 🙂
Mmmm, chocolate & mint just belong together, don’t they? 🙂
Ooooooooo I want some, chocolate and mint my favorite combo!!!!!!