Black Forest Bikkies

Black Forrest Bikkies.jpg
  • Prep time:10 minutes (plus soaking & cooking beans)
  • Cooking time:15 minutes
  • Recipe serves:Makes about 10 big bikkies

I spy with my little eye......something......dark, fudgy, salty, sweet with a tickle of spice? These bikkies are also kind of ugly - BUT impossible to stop eating - they are seriously that good!!!! Named Black Forest because they contain powerful antioxidants with rich dark chocolate, black beans and dried sour cherries, which are a divinely sweet, chewy and tart surprise in amongst these decadent and satisfying black beauties :) which are flourless and packed with protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals !! I mean does it get any better than that? We say double-up and make a bigger batch :) 

 

Ingredients

  • 1 ½ cups black beans (soaked over night with a splash of  ACV, rinsed well and then cooked until very soft)  OR one can of organic black beans to save time.
  • 2 Tbsp. coconut oil (or grass fed butter)
  • 1/3 cup organic cacao, or quality cocoa powder
  • 1/4 tsp. Himalayan pink salt, plus more for sprinkling
  • 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
  • 1/3 cup pure maple syrup or honey
  • 2 Tbsp. organic chia seeds (OR 2 organic eggs)
  • 1 tsp. vanilla bean paste
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon powder
  • 1/2 cup roughly chopped dark Fair trade organic chocolate (80% or higher)
  • 1/2 cup chopped unsweetened dried sour cherries (or cranberries)

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 180C. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
  2. Mix chia seeds, maple syrup, and vanilla in a bowl and set aside. If using eggs, skip this step.
  3. Place drained and well-rinsed beans, coconut oil, cacao,  pink salt, cinnamon and cayenne in a food processor and blend until well combined. Add maple syrup and chia mixture (or eggs) and pulse to incorporate. The batter will be quite liquid-y, but still hold together. Remove blade from the food processor and add chopped chocolate chunks and cherries, fold to incorporate. 
  4. Spoon batter onto lined baking tray. Using the back of the spoon, flatten the bikkies slightly, as they will not spread when baking. Sprinkle with a little more pink salt - which is very important!.
  5. Bake for 15 minutes until the edges are browning. Cool and eat. Store in the fridge.