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indigo.becki

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Mint pesto brownie with mandarin jellies

Mint pesto brownie with mandarin jellies (vegan)

Brownie Batter

6 Tbls butter (subst: Nuttlex, Coconut oil or other Vegan shortening)
60gm 70% cocoa chocolate
1 c rapadura sugar (dried whole juice from sugar cane available from health food stores)
2 eggs (subst: egg replacer)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup flour, sifted
1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/4 tsp bi-carb soda
1/4 cup mint pesto (recipe below)

  1. Preheat oven to 180°C or 160°C fan forced.  Lightly grease the bottom only of a small loaf pan or baking dish.
  2. Gently melt the butter/vegan shortening and chocolate together until smooth.  Stir in sugar.
  3. Beat in eggs/replacer and vanilla then lightly stir in the flour.
  4. Turn batter into prepared pan.
  5. Dollop on the mint pesto and using a skewer swirl the pesto into the mix leaving it uneven and clumpy.
  6. Bake for about 25 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from the sides of the pan.
  7. While the brownie is cooling in the pan, make the mandarin jellies (recipe below)
  8. Once made and brownie cooled, cut into bite sized squares and decorate by spooning on mandarin mandarin jellies (recipe below)

Mint Pesto
1/4 cup nuts – macadamia, slivered almonds, pine nuts work best
1 c. fresh mint leaves
1/3 c. honey (subst: agave syrup)
1 Tblsp vanilla extract
Juice from 1 lemon

  1. Add all the ingredients to a food processor and puree until reduced to a paste.
  2. If not using right away, transfer to an airtight container.
  3. Store in refrigerator for up to one month.

Mandarin Jellies
1 mandarin, peeled and segmented. If it has pips like honey murcotts commonly do, cut the pith off the narrow end and squeeze out the pips
1 tsp agar agar (vegetable based geletin-like product available from health food stores)
3 tsp organic sugar
1/4 c. water

  1. Place all ingredients in a pan and bring to a gentle simmer.
  2. Simmer until mixture thickens and becomes fragrant
  3. Use straight away before it solidifies.
    Note: unlike gelatin (an animal product) agar agar will solidify in room temperature

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Responses to “Mint pesto brownie with mandarin jellies”

  1. Gloria Bonde

    Hi Becki – What an interesting recicpe. I can almost taste it! I found your site from the conversation on Linkedin with the gentleman who was negative about grains. I too had to click on his comment because healthy grains are healthy. In the summer we eat so much better because I grow organic vegetables. I also make my own sourdough bread from a starter from my own grapes. We rarely eat refined sugar and try to be moderate. It is hard, but when I am at a grocery store check out stand and look at my shopping cart versus those around me, I am amazed at the “fake food” that is so popular. While my cart is “ingredients” – I will try your recipe – thanks

    Reply
    1. foodiecure

      Hi Gloria,
      Thanks for your comment. I love your blog – gardening is something I work at in my tiny but north facing courtyard. My mum is such a green thumb so it must be in my blood somewhere. I was successfully keeping a worm farm until recently. Something went wrong so I’m now starting from scratch.
      Re: grains I could see a heated debate starting over www so I just stopped commenting. But frankly I don’t believe he’s got all his facts correct. First of all, all the grains he is referring to are wheat and corn – being the most refined, manufactured and GM grains out there. I don’t think he’s ever heard of Quinoa (technically a seed but grouped with grains), buckweat, spelt or even rice! I’d already planned to post an article on grains next week so check back in – I’ll be publishing a researched article and will address the issue of eliminating all grains from the diet.
      Let me know how you go with the recipe and any improvements if you have them!
      Cheers, Becki
      PS I do exactly the same in the supermarket which spurs me on to help others help themselves.

      Reply

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