Sweet Potato Brownie. Yep, you heard right

Ta-dah. Sweet potato brownies, recipe courtesy of Deliciously Ella. I tweaked the recipe slightly, adding vanilla essence for some added sweetness and 70% cocoa powder instead of cacao (purely because I couldn’t get hold of any cacao in Waitrose, but after reading that all the benefits of unrefined cacao powder are lost in the process of baking, I stand my ground that it’s probably not worth splashing out in Holland and Barrett if your buying it purely as a baking alternative.) Texture wise, they don’t compete with the gooey, sticky, chewiness of a classic brownie. Nobody likes change…. But, the flavour is surprisingly moorish, especially after being left for the day as they toughen up and take on a sweeter flavour. I’d recommend if you are trying curb bad habits but in all honesty if you want a treat that melts in your mouth, sticks to your teeth and leaves you with a guilty smile of pleasure, they just don’t suffice. Here's the recipe:

2 x sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
16 dates
2/3 cup of ground almond
1/2 cup of rice flour
Couple of drops of vanilla essence
3 tbsp maple syrup
4 tbsp cacao or unsweetened cocoa powder

Makes 8 brownies

First you need to steam the sweet potato until it’s soft and fluffy. Then you need to blitz the sweet potato and dates for a few minutes until it forms a sweet paste. In a mixing bowl, combine all the other ingredients with the paste and give it all a good stir. Line a baking tray with over proof paper and pour your mixture into the tray. Smooth using the back of a spoon and place in the oven for 25 minutes at 180 degrees. You’ll know the brownies are cooked by poking a knife through the centre and it coming out clean. Once out the oven, don’t be tempted to tuck in till they have cooled down as they are texturally much butter once they have cooled down and become chewy. Cut into squares and enjoy!