CHOCOLATE SWEET POTATO SLICE
Using vegetables and fruit in your baking is an excellent way to add more fibre and goodness, and to rely on natural sweetness instead of refined sugars. I love that my children think this slice is just as much of a treat as a chocolate bar, yet it’s so much better for them.
Ingredients
250g peeled sweet potato, cubed
150g peeled and cored red apple, cubed
130g (approx 8) pitted fresh (medjool) dates
100g butter, melted (plus extra for greasing tin) (see Tips)
2 eggs
80g (7 tbsp) coconut flour
3/4 tsp baking powder (gluten-free if needed)
40g (1/3 cup) raw cacao powder (see Tips)
1 tsp natural vanilla bean extract
2-3 tbsp chocolate chips (gluten-free if needed) (see Tips)
Method
1. Steam sweet potato and apples until soft and tender. Set aside for about 10 minutes to drain.
2. Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Grease and line the base and sides of a square cake tin (20cm) with baking paper and set aside.
3. Place dates into a food processor or high-powered blender and process until chopped. Scrape down sides with a spatula.
4. Add melted butter and reserved sweet potato and apple, and process until combined. Scrape down sides with a spatula and process until mixture is smooth.
5. Add eggs, flour, baking powder, cacao powder and vanilla, and process until almost combined. Scrape down sides with a spatula and process until combined.
6. Transfer mixture into prepared tin and smooth surface with a spatula. Scatter chocolate chips over slice. Bake for 20 minutes or until just cooked. Allow to cool in tin for at least 15 minutes. Cut into squares before serving.
Tips
- If you don’t have raw cacao powder on hand, you can use regular cocoa powder instead.
- You might like to replace the chocolate chips with raw cacao nibs for a less processed, more nutrient-rich topping. However, they can be a fraction bitter, so I can’t promise that all family members will approve.
- If making this slice for someone with a nut allergy, be sure to take care that all ingredients, particularly the chocolate chips, are free from traces of nuts.
- There is no need to melt the butter beforehand for the Thermomix method.
Variation
Thermomix method:
1. Place 500g water into mixing bowl. Place Varoma into position, then weigh cubed sweet potato and apple into it. Secure Varoma lid and steam 25 min/Varoma/speed 2 or until sweet potato and apples are soft and tender.
2. Set Varoma aside, remove lid and leave sweet potato and apples to drain (approx 10 minutes). Discard steaming water and dry mixing bowl.
3. Preheat oven to 160°C. Grease and line a square cake tin (20 cm) with baking paper and set aside.
4. Place butter and dates into warm mixing bowl (see Tips) and mix 10 sec/speed 6. Scrape down sides of mixing bowl with spatula.
5. Add reserved warm sweet potato and apple and blend 10 sec/speed 6.
6. Scrape down sides of mixing bowl with spatula and blend 10 sec/speed 6 or until butter is melted and mixture is smooth.
7. Add eggs, flour, baking powder, cacao powder and vanilla and mix 10 sec/speed 5.
8. Scrape down sides of mixing bowl with spatula and mix 10 sec/speed 5. Transfer mixture into prepared tin and smooth surface with spatula. Scatter chocolate chips over slice and bake for 20 minutes or until just cooked. Allow to cool in tin for at least 15 minutes. Cut into squares before serving.
