Buckwheat Chocolate Hazelnut Brownies

Recipe characteristics

• No-bake dessert
• Perfect for when a chocolate craving strikes
• Delicious, rich, fudge-like texture
• Refined sugar free
• High in fiber
• Dietary requirements: plant-based (dairy-free, egg-free), gluten-free, and soy-free.

Notes on ingredients

• Millet or rice puffs: You can find puffed millet in the cereal section of the supermarket. Puffed rice will also work.
• Buckwheat: For this recipe, buckwheat needs to be cooked in advance. Check How to cook buckwheat for instructions.
• Dates: Use any variety as long as they’re soft and moist. If you only have dry dates, put them in a bowl and cover them with water. Soak at room temperature for 1-2 hours or until soft.
• Roasted hazelnuts: Roasting hazelnuts deepens their flavor and gives them a crisper texture. Check How to roast hazelnuts for instructions.
• Dark chocolate: I used dark chocolate with 85 percent cocoa solids.
• Coconut oil: Coconut oil, as well as chocolate, will help the brownies to firm up in the fridge.
• Coconut cream: Always use full-fat canned coconut milk or the brownies won’t turn out creamy. Chill the can in the refrigerator overnight so that you can easily separate cream from the liquid. The cream should be firm enough so that you can scoop it out with a spoon.
• Date syrup: You can substitute it with maple syrup. I prefer date syrup because it contains more than twice the potassium, calcium, and magnesium levels of maple syrup. Plus, date syrup has a sweeter taste and lower glycemic index.
• Rice milk: Substitute it with cashew milk, soy milk, oat milk or almond milk. If you are not vegan, you can use regular milk.

WHAT IS BUCKWHEAT?

Despite its name, buckwheat is not really a form of wheat or grain. It is technically a seed (sometimes referred to as a ‘pseudo-grain’). Here is why you should include it in your daily diet:

• It is highly nutritious, easy to prepare, and inexpensive.
• It has a low glycemic load. Its glycemic index is between 30 and 35 (depending on the origin of the buckwheat) so it doesn’t cause unhealthy spikes in blood sugar levels.
• It is a good source of plant compounds called rutin and quercetin, which have protective antioxidant properties.
• Buckwheat is also an excellent source of protein and fiber. One cup of cooked buckwheat has approx. 6 grams of protein and 4.5 grams of fiber. 
• It is naturally gluten-free and generally safe to eat for people with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity. It might be processed in the same facility and on the same equipment as gluten grains so it’s best if you stick to brands that are certified gluten-free to avoid any possible cross-contamination problems.

How to make it

You can find instructions and the exact measurements in the recipe card below.

Soaking dates: Put pitted dates in a bowl and cover them with water. Soak at room temperature for 2-3 hours.

How to cook buckwheat

• Soak buckwheat in water for 3-4 hours. Once the buckwheat has been soaked, rinse it well, and let it drain thoroughly.
• Put it in a medium pot with 300 ml of rice milk. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for approx. 15-20 minutes (make sure you don’t overcook it). Remove from heat. If there is any liquid left, drain it well and let it cool down completely.

First layer

• Line the square pan (22 x 22 cm) with baking paper.
• Place puffed millet (or puffed rice) in a bowl and mix it with date syrup. Evenly spread the mixture across the bottom of the prepared pan.

Buckwheat-chocolate layer

• Melt chocolate over low heat in a medium pot. Set aside.
• Drain dates really well after soaking them – you can use a fork to remove any excess water.
• Place cooked buckwheat, dates, coconut oil, coconut cream, and date syrup into a high speed blender and blend until smooth.
• Transfer the mixture to a bowl, add melted chocolate and ground hazelnuts, and mix briefly with a hand mixer until all is well combined. Adjust sweetness if needed.
• Carefully press the mixture into a prepared pan on top of puffed millet (or puffed rice) layer.
• Place the brownies in the fridge while you make the chocolate topping.

Chocolate topping

• Melt dark chocolate in a small pot over low heat. Set aside and let it cool down a bit.
• Put coconut cream, melted chocolate, and date syrup into a high-speed blender.
• Process until smooth. Adjust sweetness if needed.
• Pour the chocolate mixture on top of the first layer (or if the chocolate topping ends up being nice and thick, use a spoon to spread it evenly over the buckwheat-chocolate layer). 
• Place the cake in the freezer to set for at least 3-4 hours or until firm.
• Remove from the freezer 30 mins before serving, or until you can cut it easily with a sharp knife.
• Slice and serve.

Tips and how-tos

Buckwheat Chocolate Hazelnut Brownies

Nensi Beram

Buckwheat Chocolate Hazelnut Brownies are truly perfect for when a chocolate craving strikes. They are high in fiber, refined sugar-free, plant-based, gluten-free, and soy-free.

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Prep Time 30 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Cuisine Gluten-free, Vegan

Servings 9

Calories 476 kcal

Equipment

• Square cake pan
• High-speed blender
• Silicone spatula

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

First layer

• 30 g puffed millet or rice
• 20 ml date syrup

Buckwheat-chocolate layer

• 100 g buckwheat previously soaked for approx. 2-3 hours
• 300 ml rice milk
• 200 g dates previously soaked for approx. 2 hours
• 100 g roasted hazelnuts ground
• 100 g dark chocolate (85% cocoa)
• 40 ml coconut oil
• 50-60 ml date syrup if needed, for extra sweetness
• 100 g coconut cream the thickened coconut cream from a can of full-fat coconut milk

Chocolate topping

• 100 g coconut cream the thickened coconut cream from a can of full-fat coconut milk
• 100 g dark chocolate (85% cocoa)
• 40-50 ml date syrup

Instructions

 

• Soaking dates: Put pitted dates in a bowl and cover them with water. Soak at room temperature for 2-3 hours.

How to cook buckwheat

• Soak buckwheat in water for 3-4 hours. Once the buckwheat has been soaked, rinse it well, and let it drain thoroughly.
• Put it in a medium pot with 300 ml of rice milk. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for approx. 15-20 minutes (make sure you don't overcook it).
• Remove from heat. If there is any liquid left, drain it well and let it cool down completely.

First layer

• Line the square pan (22 x 22 cm) with baking paper.
• Place puffed millet (or puffed rice) in a bowl and mix it with date syrup. Evenly spread the mixture across the bottom of the prepared pan.

Buckwheat-chocolate layer

• Melt chocolate over low heat in a medium pot. Set aside.
• Drain dates really well after soaking them – you can use a fork to remove any excess water.
• Place cooked buckwheat, dates, coconut oil, coconut cream, and date syrup into a high speed blender and blend until smooth.
• Transfer the mixture to a bowl, add melted chocolate and ground hazelnuts, and mix briefly with a hand mixer until all is well combined. Adjust sweetness if needed.
• Carefully press the buckwheat-chocolate mixture into a prepared pan on top of the puffed millet (or puffed rice) layer.
• Place the brownies in the fridge while you make the chocolate topping.

Chocolate topping

• Melt dark chocolate in a small pot over low heat. Set aside and let it cool down a bit.
• Put coconut cream, melted chocolate, and date syrup into a high-speed blender and process until smooth. Adjust sweetness if needed.
• Pour the chocolate mixture on top of the first layer (or if the chocolate topping ends up being nice and thick, use a spoon to spread it evenly over the buckwheat-chocolate layer). 
• Place the brownies in the freezer to set for at least 3-4 hours or until firm.
• Remove from the freezer 30 mins before serving, or until you can cut it easily with a sharp knife.
• Slice and serve.

Notes

Always use full-fat canned coconut milk or the brownies won’t turn out creamy. Chill the can in the refrigerator overnight so that you can easily separate cream from the liquid. The cream should be firm enough so that you can scoop it out with a spoon.

Did you make this recipe?Please leave a comment below and let us know how it was. We are very grateful for your feedback.

Nutrition facts

Nutrition Facts

Buckwheat Chocolate Hazelnut Brownies

Serving Size

 

9

Amount per Serving

Calories

476

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

29

g

45

%

Sodium

 

19

mg

1

%

Carbohydrates

 

53

g

18

%

Fiber

 

7

g

29

%

Sugar

 

29

g

32

%

Protein

 

7

g

14

%

* The nutritional information provided is calculated automatically and should be used as an estimate.

Keyword buckwheat brownies, buckwheat dessert recipes, flourless buckwheat brownies, healthy chocolate brownies