Teff Flour Brownies

Teff is a cereal grain native to Arabia and Southwestern Arabia.  If you have ever dined on Ethiopian food, the main unleavened bread served is made with teff flour.  Teff comes from the Amharic word meaning “lost” because teff grains are so small you could sow an entire field with what you could hold in your hand.  It wasn’t until late in the twentieth century that teff has become known due to some experimental farmers, even though it has been a staple in the diets of those living around the world for thousands of years.

Teff has a mild, nutty flavor and is seriously nutrient packed.  Loaded with iron and calcium, teff has contains a great deal more protein than other grains.  For a versatile gluten-free substitute, teff can be ground into a flour to be used in baked goods.  It can also be cooked whole, steamed or boiled, as a great side dish.

This recipe is great to bring along to holiday parties to ensure your little one can have a dessert that is gluten free.

• ½ cup water
• 10 medjool dates, pitted
• ¼ cup oil
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• ½ cup pure maple syrup
• 1 cup teff flour
• ¼ cup tapioca flour
• 1/3 cup bitter cocoa
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ½ dairy free chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In a small saucepan, boil the water, covered.  Remove pan from heat and add the dates, cover. After the dates sit for about 5 minutes, puree in a food processor or blender with the water.  Transfer the puree into a mixing bowl and add the oil, vanilla, and maple syrup.  In a separate bowl, sift the dry ingredients.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry, and stir to combine.  Pour the stiff batter into an oiled 8” cake pan.   Bake brownies for 40-60 minutes; brownies will be done when the center is firm and begin to pull away from the edges of the pan. Sprinkle with icing sugar if the mood serves you!

Helpful Hint:
The dates in this recipe provide a more wholesome replacement to sugar.  Allowing the dates to soak not only re-hydrates them, but also helps bind ingredients together since there are no eggs in this recipe.