Irresistible Vegan Chocolate Brownies

inspired by Jamie Oliver’s Bloomin Brilliant Brownies

Whether you're vegan, vegetarian or a committed carnivore, you can't fail to be blown away by these easy-to-make, just a little naughty dark chocolate brownies.

Here's what you'll need:

250 g unsalted vegan butter
200 g good-quality dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), broken up
50 g chopped nuts, optional
80 g cocoa powder, sifted
65 g plain flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
360 g caster sugar
2 large bananas, blended*
¾ teaspoon arrow root
zest of 1 orange, optional
250 ml soya cream, optional

*Alternative: try 1 avocado and 1 banana

Here's what to do:

Place bananas in a blender and blend until they form a pulp of smooth consistency with no lumps. Add the arrow root and blend for a further five seconds (replacing the eggs in the traditional chocolate brownie).

Preheat your oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4. Line a 24cm square baking tin with greaseproof paper. In a large bowl over some simmering water, melt the butter and chocolate and mix until smooth. Add the nuts, if you’re using them, and stir together.

In a separate bowl, mix together the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder and sugar, then add this to the chocolate and nut mixture. Stir together well. Mix in the banana mixture until you have a silky consistency.

Pour brownie mix into the baking tray, and place in the oven for around 25 minutes. You don’t want to overcook them so, unlike cakes, you don’t want a skewer to come out all clean. The brownies should be slightly springy on the outside but still fabulously gooey in the middle.

Allow to cool in the tray, then carefully transfer to a large chopping board and cut into chunky squares.

For a delicious pudding, serve with soya cream, mixed with some orange zest. Or simply serve as they are, for a slightly naughty (but do-ably so!) treat.

Mostly importantly of all: enjoy!

Dark chocolate facts:

The cacao bean contains flavonoids, B vitamins, magnesium, iron, copper, zinc, and a seductive cocktail of mood-boosting chemicals!

Bearing in mind we are not advocating eating dozens at once, here are some health benefits of enjoying dark chocolate in moderation:

Antioxidant protection
Increased cardiovascular support
Anti-aging effects
Healthy inflammatory response
Improved immune function
Improved mood and emotional health

What’s not to love?