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Date, Rye, and Olive Oil Brownies

3.0

(4)

Olive oil brownies on a wooden slat cut into pieces.
Kristin Teig

Rye flour, with its hints of nutty and malty flavor, perfectly complements the cocoa and dates in these fudgy brownies, and olive oil faintly underlines the fruity bitterness of chocolate. The key to these brownies is to not overbake them!

This recipe was excerpted from ‘Good & Sweet’ by Brian Levy. Buy the full book on Amazon.

Ingredients

2 cups Medjool dates, pitted and chopped
2 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
⅔ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing the pan
1 cup dark rye flour
1⅓ cups Dutch process cocoa powder
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. baking powder
1 egg white, for brushing
½ tsp. Maldon salt

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease an 8-inch square lightweight metal pan.

    Step 2

    In a food processor, pulse the dates until they are finely chopped but not yet a paste. Add the eggs and vanilla and blend with the dates. With the food processor running, add the oil slowly in a thin stream. Continue to puree for a few minutes until the mixture is very smooth and only some small specks of dates remain.

    Step 3

    Sift the flour, cocoa, salt, and baking powder into a medium bowl and whisk to mix. Add half of the dry mixture to the date mixture in the food processor. Pulse to mix. Add the remaining dry mixture and process the dough until it’s homogeneous. Press the dough (it will be thick, like fudge) firmly into the pan, then level and smooth the top. Brush the top with a light, even layer of egg white—this is just to add some gloss. Evenly sprinkle the Maldon salt over the surface.

    Step 4

    Bake for 15 minutes (if you have an instant-read thermometer, you’re looking for an internal temperature of 160°F). They’ll still be fudgy inside; do not overbake them!

    Step 5

    Let the brownies cool completely in their pan on a cooling rack before eating them. Store tightly wrapped or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day, or in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Print
Reprinted with permission from Good & Sweet by Brian Levy, copyright © 2022. Photographs by Kristin Teig with styling by Catrine Kelty. Published by Avery, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC. Buy the full book from Penguin Random House, Amazon, or Bookshop.

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