The last years, dates became a trendy fruit, not only in the US but throughout the world. In Tunisia, dates aren’t just a fruit; they are part of the culinary culture of the country. Dates are frequently served for breakfast, since they are very rich in in vitamins, minerals and also fiber. This fruit is also excellent for muscles development, and is therefore frequently consumed by athletes. During Ramadan, Muslims are used to break the fast with some pitted or stuffed dates and some water, in order to avoid food overeating after the fast.
Dates can be consumed in various forms: cakes, syrup, smoothies, etc. This time, we chose an easy dessert with a delicious combination between chocolate and dates: brownies.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups (about 250g) of chopped dates
- 1 tsp of sodium bicarbonate
- 3/4 cup of boiling water
- 200g of diced butter at room temperature
- 4 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- Walnuts
- 2 cups (440g) caster sugar
- 1 cup (110g) black cocoa
- 1 cup (140g) flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 250g of dark chocolate
Preparation :
- Preheat oven to 320 °F
- Cover the pan with some wax paper
- In a bowl, put the pitted dates and add the sodium bicarbonate and the water then mix everything together.
- Melt the butter then add it to the mixture. Leave it for 20 minutes.
- Mix the dates with a fork until you get a creamy consistency
- Add the eggs and the vanilla and mix everything together
- Add the sugar, the cacao, the flour, the chopped walnuts and the baking powder then mix.
- Finally, add the chocolate and put the mixture in the pan. Let it cook for 40 minutes
Once the brownies are ready, let them cool for some minutes then cut it into squares. Bon appetit !
