Gingerbread and Brownies

The holidays are a wonderful time to enjoy sweet treats that overflow with scrumptious spices. The flavors of gingerbread have always evoked a feeling of Christmas, but when you mix them with chocolate, too? Gracious, it’s amazing!

Chef Teddy has partnered with RawSpiceBar, a wonderful company from San Francisco, to bring you this delightful recipe that is sure to be a hit at all your holiday gatherings.

Disclosure: We were provided with spices from RawSpiceBar to try out and share the results with you. A positive review was not required and all opinions are our own.

What’s so special about fresh ground spices?

You love your local supermarket. I get it. I do, too.

But those glass jars of spices? They were ground months ago and often you can find that they are right at or just past their “sell by” date. No wonder you have to add so much to get full flavors, especially for unique spices that you need for globally inspired dishes.

An easy experiment to try to show you the difference is to use Nutmeg. Everyone should own a Nutmeg Grinder. Nutmeg is an incredible spice and adds so much flavor when it is freshly ground. The stuff that’s been ground for a while, not so much.

Grind a teaspoon fresh and in a separate container put a teaspoon of the stuff you grabbed at the store. Look at the texture between the two, compare the smell, and finally, add a pinch to a tablespoon of warmed milk and taste the difference. See?

Here’s how RawSpiceBar works their magic:

We source the highest quality ingredients. Then, we toast and grind each individually to draw out eye-popping aromas and deep, complex flavors. Then, we expertly blend each ingredient to create the characteristic tastes of each region’s unique cuisine profile. Bringing these flavor blends into your own kitchen can lend authenticity to global recipes and provide creative inspiration for everyday cooking. Lastly, we perfectly portion each flavor kit so you can make a dish serving 3-4- no need to let these flavors sit in your kitchen shelves. Ready for this trip across the globe? No passport required!

Paleo Gingerbread Brownies – Cooking with Chef Teddy

Paleo Gingerbread Brownies

Makes – 16 squares

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons of Coconut Flour
• ¼ cup of Unsweetened Cocoa or Carob Powder
• ½ teaspoon of Baking Soda
• 2 teaspoons of RawSpice Bar ground Ginger
• 1 teaspoon of RawSpiceBar ground Cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon of RawSpiceBar ground Cloves
• Pinch of Salt
• ¼ cup of Coconut Oil, melted
• ¾ cup Coconut Palm Sugar
• 3 tablespoons of Black-strap Molasses
• 3 Large Eggs
• 1 teaspoon of Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 teaspoon of Pure Vanilla Extract

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and grease an 8×8 pan with coconut oil or line it with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, shift together the coconut flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon and cloves and a pinch of salt. Keep aside.
3. In a blender or food processor, combine, the eggs, melted coconut oil, coconut sugar, molasses, vinegar and the vanilla extract. Blend it on high for a minute or two
4. Add the shifted dry ingredient to it and blend on high, till everything is well incorporated.
5. Pour in the prepared pan and smooth it out.
6. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or till a toothpick inserted in the middle, comes out clean.
7. Let it cool for 10 minutes in the pan and then finish cooling completely on a wire rack
8. Cut into 9 to 16 squares, depending how big or small you want each square to be.

Notes

1. Add ½ cup chocolate chip or chopped nuts of choice to the brownie batter for added texture.
2. Optional step, top the brownies with shredded coconut or whipped coconut cream and a light dusting of cocoa powder for a fancy festive feel.