Buckwheat Brownies

These brownies are irresistible; fudgey with crisp edges and loaded with our 70% dark chocolate. They’re seasoned with fresh ground (decaf) coffee and cardamom, a match-made duo to bring out all of the fruity, nutty complexity in our bars. Thanks to the inclusion of roasted almond butter, aromatic buckwheat flour, and maple, the brownies just so happen to be free of gluten, dairy and refined sugar - making them the perfect treat to share with most anyone! Eat them as they are, or go one step further and use them as the base for an even more decadent sundae. We paired them with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a generous drizzle of our hazelnut and chocolate butter, chopped peanuts, and a cherry on top for the most decadent treat. 

3 large eggs, at room temperature 

1 very tightly packed cup (150 g) maple sugar 

¼ cup (85 g) maple syrup 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

⅔ cup (85 g) buckwheat flour 

½ teaspoon ground cardamom

1 tablespoon finely ground decaf coffee 

½ teaspoon fine sea salt

¾ cup (170 g) roasted almond butter 

¼ cup (35 g) olive oil, plus more for greasing 

4 bars (200 g) Fine and Raw 70% dark chocolate, broken into squares, reserve 2 rows (8 squares) for snacking or topping

Flaky salt, for finishing 

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line an 8 x 8 inch baking pan with a parchment paper sling that reaches over the sides of the pan, and overlap with another piece for the opposite sides. Grease the parchment paper all over with olive oil. 

Add the eggs, maple sugar, maple syrup and vanilla extract to a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer set to a medium speed until frothy and combined, about a minute. Add the buckwheat flour, cardamom, coffee, and salt and mix again until no visible flecks of flour remain. 

Set up a double boiler by adding an inch of water to a small saucepan. Bring the water to a simmer. In a bowl that’s large enough to hover on top of the simmering water without actually touching it, add the chocolate. Let the chocolate melt in the double boiler, stirring occasionally with a silicone spatula to help it along. When the chocolate is fully melted, remove the bowl from the heat. Fold in the almond butter and olive oil until it's fully incorporated. 

Thoroughly fold the chocolate mixture into the reserved egg and flour mixture. The batter should look rich and glossy, luscious but not too thick. It’s important to note that if your eggs or flour or both are too cold, the batter will seize up and get quite thick when you incorporate the chocolate - avoid this by making sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature before mixing. 

Pour the batter into the prepared baking tin and smooth it out with an offset spatula. Top with a few extra pieces of chocolate if you please, and sprinkle with a pinch of flaky salt. 

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the edges look crispy and the center is barely set. Overcooking these brownies even by a smidge will lead to a dryer texture than ideal, so err on the side of caution with the timing. Remove the brownies from the oven and set them aside to cool for at least an hour. They will keep in an airtight container on the counter for at least 3 days.