Courgette in a brownie? Trust me... you'd never know it was there. But it adds plenty of moisture and nutrients turning these brownies into a slightly healthier, if not just as more-ish version.
I love a brownie. If I have dessert it's pretty much always a brownie (if it's on the menu). These ones are particularly tasty (the Little Gouldings also gave them their seal of approval) and are a great way to use up some courgettes, if like me you've got a bit of a glut of them.
Courgettes are packed full of nutrients, including:
Fibre, including a specific one called pectin, which may help reduce cholesterol levels.
Folate, which helps reduce tiredness and fatigue. It is also important in pregnancy to help protect against neural tube defects
Manganese, which is vital for the formation of collagen and is also an important part of our antioxidant defence system
Potassium, which helps to reduce blood pressure, as well as contributing to the normal maintenance of our cells
Plenty of antioxidants, which help fight against ageing
The addition of crushed walnuts gives these walnuts an extra nutrient punch, as well as adding a lovely crunchy texture.
These can be made with either standard wholewheat flour or with an alternative such as spelt or a gluten free flour.
Top tip: Using an electric whisk to combine the egg and sugar is worth the extra washing up as it makes them so much lighter than whisking by hand.
Recipe
Servings: 18 brownies
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes
Ingredients
150g courgette
130g wholewheat flour
110g coconut or light brown sugar
3 medium free range eggs
130 unsalted butter
150g dark chocolate (at least 70%)
1tsp vanilla extract
100g crushed walnuts
Method
Preheat the oven to 160°C (fan) and line a square baking tin with baking paper
Grate the courgette and set to one side
Put the eggs and sugar into a bowl and with an electric whisk beat them together until the mixture has nearly doubled in size
Place the chocolate and butter in a small saucepan and over a low heat slowly melt them, making sure to stir occasionally
Gently stir the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture along with the courgette and vanilla extract
Fold in the flour and walnuts
Pour the mixture into the baking tin and then bake for around 25 minutes, until the brownie has a thin crust on the outside but is still moist inside (you can insert a toothpick or knife and if the batter is still wet then pop back in the oven for a few more minutes)
Leave to cool in the tin before slicing
These will last a few days in an airtight container, or they freeze well so you can make a batch and have ready made treats to hand for picnics.