Gluten Free, Refined Sugar Free, Dairy Free Chewy Peanut Butter Teff Brownies
The gentle folk at MyProtein were kind enough to send me samples of Teff flour, coconut oil and peanut butter and asked me to come up with a recipe to showcase them. The road to reaching this recipe for Gluten Free, Refined Sugar Free, Dairy Free Chewy Peanut Butter Brownies was a bit of a rocky one, but I think you’re going to love the finished product 😉
My first reaction to this challenge was Teff flour? What’s that? I’d never heard of it before. According to MyProtein and many other internet sources, “Teff Superfine Flour is an annual grass and is native to the northern Ethiopian Highlands of East Africa. Teff Flour is considered a complete source of protein as it contains all the essential amino acids, as well as being a source of calcium, phosphorus, iron, copper, magnesium, potassium, zinc, and thiamine.” Wikipedia also states that it can be used by coeliacs because “the gluten in teff does not contain the a-gliadin-fraction that causes a reaction in those with coeliac disease)”.
Throughout my recipe testing I used Teff flour in a variety of ways, including as a very successful thickening agent for the gravy for my Thermomix Varoma-steamed whole chicken. Its nutty flavour enhanced the chicken stock and made one of the tastiest gravies I’ve ever made. I found that Teff flour needs a good rising agent for baking, most likely due to the tiny grain from which it is ground and the superfine flour it produces. My first recipe attempts revolved around a classic sponge based on the 4/4 method where you use the “egg weight” of flour, sugar and butter such as used in my recipes for quick sponge cake and Magic Minute Microwave Mug Cake. My results were dry and heavy and I was disappointed. Back to the drawing board for me, then.
MyProtein was kind enough to send me their absolutely gorgeous Coconpure Certified Organic Virgin Coconut Oil and some Natural Peanut Butter with no added sugar or salt along with the Superfine Teff Flour and I thought these might combine nicely into some peanut butter brownies. My, oh my, I was right! These Chewy Peanut Butter Brownies are absolutely superb. They are moist and chewy with a subtle peanut taste, a hint of caramel and that perfect satin top. They contain no refined sugar, no dairy products and are reputedly safe for coeliacs. And with Thermomix at your side they are ready to go in the oven in just a couple of minutes so you can make way too often 😉
Gluten Free, Refined Sugar Free, Dairy Free Chewy Peanut Butter Brownies
Original recipe by “Jo” on allrecipes.com. Makes 16 brownies in one 20×20 cm/9×9 inch square baking tin.
Ingredients
100 g peanut butter
150 g coconut oil plus more for the tin
250 g coconut sugar – or – rapadura – or – Muscovado– or – your chosen unrefined sugar
2 eggs
½ tsp. vanilla extract
125 g Teff flour
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
Method
Preheat oven to 180° C/350° F/160° C Fan. Grease a 20 x 20 cm/9 x 9-inch baking pan.
- Add all ingredients to TM bowl and mix 15 seconds/Speed 5. Scrape down sides of bowl with spatula and mix again 15 seconds/Speed 5.
- Scrape batter into your greased tin. Spin the blades 5 seconds/Speed 4 to get the last of the batter from the bowl – it’s too delicious to waste!
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in your preheated oven, or until the top just springs back when touched. (Over baking produces a more cake-like brownie rather than this moist, chewy version.) Cool and cut into 16 squares.
I drizzled my brownies with some more peanut butter but there are many other variations if you want to fancy them up a bit. Here are some I thought of:
Variations:
- Drizzle with melted peanut butter or chocolate
- Top with chocolate or peanut butter icing
- Mix chunks of chocolate or other sweets (M&Ms?) into the batter
What healthy variations can you think of?
Bon appétit !
