Deliciously Ella's "Raw Brownies"

Charlotte says: Don't be put off by the word "raw"! Perhaps better titled "Nutty Brownies", these Deliciously Ella treats are a gluten-free and dairy-free alternative to your standard brownie recipe. 

Notes on ingredients/substitutions follow recipe.

Makes 10 brownies.

Ingredients

• 1 cup of pecans
• 2 cups of medjool dates (2 1/2 cups if using non-medjool dates)
• 3 tablespoons of raw cacao powder

• Optional: 2 tablespoons of maple syrup

Method
This is the easiest recipe.

1. Simply blend the pecans in a food processor until they form a crumbly mixture.
2. Add the dates and blend again before adding the cacao and maple syrup.
3. Place the mixture into a baking tray and either refrigerate for 3-4 hours or freeze for 1 hour to allow them to set. Keep in the fridge for freshness.

Additional notes

Nuts: Almonds also work well instead of pecans, or you can use a mixture of the two. 

Medjool dates are a bigger and squidgier type of date available from most supermarkets. They are a bit more expensive than your average date. You can use cheaper, non-medjool dates or a mix of the two. If using non-medjool dates, I suggest soaking them in warm water for half an hour or so, or popping them in the microwave for 30-40 seconds if you're impatient/short on time...! You will probably also want to use a few extra (up to 1/2 a cup) as they are smaller.

Maple syrup: You can use honey instead if you don't have maple syrup.