We all deserve a reward and there are few things as rewarding as our irresistible chocolate hazelnut protein brownie.
Nourishing, but decadent!
Chocolate and hazelnut. There’s a reason why it’s the flavour pairing behind one of the most famous spreads of all time.
So what if you could take those divine flavours and turn them into a comforting, nutrient-packed chocolate hazelnut protein brownie?
Well we think we’ve got a recipe that delivers all that irresistible chocolatey nuttiness, wrapped in a gooey, moreish treat. And it rates high on the good stuff too.
And with a bit of sensible shopping, you can also make it vegan (use egg replacer rather an eggs), paleo and keto-friendly as well as refined sugar and gluten free.
Got a sweet tooth, but want to eat healthily? Try our Best Bliss Balls Recipe.
Chocolate Hazelnut Protein Brownie
If you like your brownies rich, decadent and super fudgy, this is the recipe for you.
The oozing centre means that this isn’t a great bake for sandwich bags and lunchboxes (unless you transfer a slice into it’s own little container to stop it getting squidged!), but it’s an impressive dessert, served straight warm from the oven.
Ingredients
130g *Hazelnut Spread, sugar free
40g Coconut Oil
2 Eggs
1 1/2 tbsp Chia Seeds (plus 5 tbsp Water)
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1/2 cup Sukrin Gold – or a similar healthy Brown Sugar replacement
60g Chocolate Protein Powder – (we like to keep it plant-based, but if you prefer a whey-based protein powder)
30g Cacao Powder
20g Almond Flour
1/2 tsp Sea Salt
1/4 tsp Bicarbonate of Soda
If you’d like to make some nourishing No Bake Peanut Butter Choc Protein Bars, see here.
Instructions
- Place the chia seeds in a bowl with the water. Mix and leave to thicken.
- Preheat oven to 175C.
- Grease a small, round cake tin and line the bottom and sides with baking paper.
- Melt the coconut oil and hazelnut spread together in a bowl. You can do this either by heating them on a low power setting in the microwave, or by melting them in a bowl over a pan of gently boiling water.
- Set aside to cool slightly.
- Add eggs, swollen chia seeds and vanilla extract. Whisk until combined.
- Mix together the sweeteners, chocolate protein powder, cacao powder, almond flour, sea salt and bicarb in another bowl.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry and fold until just combined.
- Pour into the prepared cake tin.
- Bake for 14-20 minutes. When ready, the sides will have a firm crust, but the middle will still be gooey.
Are you bored of the same old breakfast, day after day? Bin Boring Breakfasts with our overnight oats recipes.
So let’s address the elephant in the pantry.
There is a very well-known and extremely tasty chocolate hazelnut spread on most supermarket shelves.
I won’t judge you if you choose to make our Chocolate Hazelnut Protein Brownie using this branded product. After all, it’s one of Italy’s most loved culinary exports for good reason! Just remember to adjust the cacao powder and the chocolate protein powder according to taste.
However, that famous spread – though still chock-full of the goodness of hazelnuts – it’s also heavy with nasties (from our perspective) like refined sugar, palm oil and synthetic vanilla.
If you are OK with that, that’s fine with us. However, we like to think that our recipes are promoting healthy alternatives – even to childhood favourites – so we feel it’s worth seeking out a more nutritionally balanced (sugar free) hazelnut spread. Or even making your own…
For a protein shake recipe that will change the way you see gains, see here.
*Homemade Hazelnut Spread
No hazelnut spread, no Chocolate Hazelnut Protein Brownie.
But you don’t have to sacrifice your nutritional gains to achieve dessert nirvana.
There are a few variations on this, but the most important factor is the power of your blender. And I ain’t gonna lie. The better your blender, the smoother your spread (and the quicker it’ll be made).
Ingredients
1 cup Natural Hazelnuts
2 tbsp Granulated Sweetener
Pinch of Sea Salt
Optional – 1 tbsp Coconut Oil, melted
On the look out for another easy and delicious dessert recipe? Have a go at our, Luscious Reindeer Jaffa Protein Mousse.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180C.
- Spread hazelnuts over a baking sheet and place in oven for approx. 12 mins, until roasted.
- Remove roasted hazelnuts from oven and cool.
- Place hazelnuts in the middle of a large, clean tea towel. Fold in the edges of the tea towel and rub the hazelnuts until most of their skins are removed.
- Transfer the clean hazelnuts to a blender and blend until they look like a nut flour (approx. 3 minutes).
- Scrap down the sides and continue blending until the nuts turn into a creamy paste.
- Alternatively, add the coconut oil to help turn the nuts into a paste. If your blender isn’t powerful enough, this may be a life saver!
- Add sweetener and sea salt and blend until smooth.
- Scrap into an airtight jar and keep in the fridge until you wish to use it.
As an added bonus, you can turn this simple hazelnut spread into a yummy chocolate one (similar to its adored Italian cousin) by adding a tablespoon of cacao or cocoa powder along with the sweetener.
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