Radically Natural Recipe: Sourdough Brownies

I made sourdough brownies for my eldest son's recent birthday.  To be honest, the consistency was far more cake-y than chewy, thick brownie.  But my kids were ecstatic to partake of the celebratory delight and not a one of them complained about the finished product.  

This recipe was one of the highlights in our continuing saga of post-GAPS "are our guts ready for NT-style grains?"  The jury is still out on our healing quest's end game...more on that in weeks to come.  But for those of you who tolerate and enjoy properly prepared grain goodies, here is a recipe to try.  Just remember me by adding extra cinnamon love!

In the following recipe, I use The Grainery's raw cacao paste, which you can purchase from Azure Standard Co-op.  This paste is similar in texture and taste to unsweetened baking chocolate, but the paste is pure cacao bean/nibs ground into liquid and then solidified at room temperature.  Baking chocolate may be an undesirable choice, depending on the ingredients/source.  Baking chocolates contain soy lecithin, and some contain sugar.  Pure cacao paste is just that.

This recipe is inspired by the Cultures for Health recipe of the same name.  

Sourdough Brownies

4 oz. cacao paste 
1/2 cup hot water
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cups honey
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 Tb. cinnamon
1 1/2 cups sprouted flour of your choice (preferably low gluten, or ancient grain variety.  I used a mixture of Kamut and Einkorn)
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups sourdough starter

• Melt cacao in double boiler, low to medium heat.  Pour in the hot water, mix.  Stir in baking soda until mixture is foamy.  Set cacao mixture aside to cool (should be warm, not hot).
• Cream together butter/coconut oil and honey.  Add eggs, mix well.
• Add vanilla, cinnamon, chocolate mixture.
• Slowly add flour and salt.
• Add sourdough starter.  Fold to combine gently.
• Pour batter into greased 9x13 pan.  Allow batter to rise in a warm spot for 1/2 hour.
• Bake brownies at 350º for 30 to 40 minutes (test with toothpick for doneness).

Top with raw whipped cream and enjoy!