Fudgy dark chocolate brownies stuffed with halva and topped with ice cream and fresh seasonal fruit.
The inspiration for this recipe comes from Ottolenghi’s tahini and halva brownies in his book “Sweet.” The combination of dark, fudgy brownies and halva seemed like pure perfection and I determined to make a vegan, gluten-free, and healthier version. If you have made my fudgy mocha brownies (link), then you’ll find these are very similar. Two key differences are the batter is thinner to prevent air pockets from forming around the halva chunks and a darker chocolate is called for. Also, these brownies have a nice high crust that forms around the edges, making the perfect holding area for ice cream and fruit! While of course they can be enjoyed without any toppings, adding ice cream and fresh fruit makes for a real showstopper. This marriage of rich, dark chocolate brownies, chewy and slightly caramelized halva, creamy ice cream, and fresh fruit is flavor and texture heaven!
Serves 20
Ingredients:
1 cup coconut oil (use refined or triple filtered to reduce the coconut flavor if desired)
11.5 ounces 72% chocolate
1 cup aquafaba (the liquid from about 2 cans of chickpeas/garbanzo beans)
½ teaspoon cream of tartar
1 ½ cup turbinado sugar
1 ¼ cup chickpea flour
1 tablespoon arrowroot
1/3 cup cocoa powder
¾ teaspoon salt
350 grams halva, broken into chunks
optional: 1/3 cup tahini (I prefer the Tarazi brand tahini)
Optional Fillings and Toppings:
Non-dairy ice cream (pictured is salted caramel, but feel free to use any flavor, such as this Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream (link)!)
Figs
Berries
Pomegranate arils
Pomegranate molasses
Or other seasonal fruit
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9x13 inch pan and line with enough parchment paper to have some overhang.
Place the coconut oil and chocolate in a heat-safe bowl and melt – either in the microwave, heating in 30-second intervals, or over a pan of boiling water. Stir to combine and then set aside to cool a bit.
Drain two cans of chickpeas in a strainer over a bowl to collect the aquafaba. Place the aquafaba and cream of tartar in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat on high unit white and foamy, about 2 minutes. Decrease the speed of the mixer and slowly add in the sugar to not overwhelm the aquafaba. Once all of the sugar is added, return the mixer to high and continue to beat until stiff peaks form, about 4-5 minutes.
Turn off the mixer and fold in the chocolate and coconut oil mixture gently with a spatula.
In a separate bowl, sift the chickpea flour, arrowroot, and cocoa powder. Add the salt and mix to combine, then transfer to the wet mixture, gently folding to combine. Lastly, add the halva chunks and stir.
Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and even it out with a spatula. To create a marbled effect, place 12 little puddles of tahini on top of the batter and use a knife to make swirls.
Bake for about 40 minutes, the middle with have a slight wobble (they firm up as they cool). Allow the brownies to cool completely (for really fudgy and dense brownies, chill in the refrigerator for a couple of hours) before cutting and enjoying as is, or filling with ice cream and fruit.
If filling with ice cream, allow the ice cream to come to soft-serve consistency then transfer to the brownies and spread to the edges. Place in the freezer until about 20 minutes before serving. Top with fruit, drizzle with pomegranate molasses, and enjoy!
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