Dense Sweet Potato + Pecan Blondies

By now you probably recognise I have somewhat of a sweet tooth and love a little sweet snack every now and then, especially on super busy days when there’s not a moment of rest to be had. And if the snack is a treat, it’s even more enticing + nice to know there’s something to look forward to in your bag. Blondies, the delightful sibling of the famous brownies, on their own are a whole universe of exploration as the possibilities to experiment are limitless. For this one, I’ve used the versatile sweet potato. It is not only a brilliant vegetable with high nutrient content, but also lends adequate sweetness which in turn means we need much less sugar. A generous addition of pecan and dark chocolate chunks make every bite an added delight. These blondies are made using just a food processor, so absolutely no fuss at all. The hardest part, I assure you, is waiting for them to set before being able to take a bite!

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Ingredients

  • 75g soft light brown sugar

  • 175g coconut oil

  • 2 large eggs

  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

  • 1 cup sweet potato purée

  • 75g white spelt flour

  • 50g ground almonds

  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon powder

  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves

  • 1/4 tsp ground ginger

  • 1/2 tsp baking powder

  • 1/2 tsp baking soda

  • Pinch of salt

  • 50g pecan nuts, roughly chopped

  • 60g dark chocolate, roughly chopped

Method of Preparation

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C. Oil and line a 20cm square brownie tin, and set aside.

  2. Sift together the white spelt flour + ground almonds + cinnamon powder + ground cloves + ground ginger + baking powder + baking soda + salt, and set aside.

  3. To a food processor, add the soft light brown sugar + coconut oil. Blend till smooth and creamy. Add the eggs + vanilla extract, and blend. Add the sweet potato purée and blend till well combined. Add the flour mix and blend till combined. Remove the blade of the food processor, add the chopped nuts and chocolate and use a spatula to incorporate. Transfer the batter to the prepared tin. Bake for 30-35 minutes, till a toothpick comes out clean.

  4. Remove from the oven, and allow to cool completely. Transfer to the refrigerator and allow it to set for at least 2 hours and up to overnight before serving.