Indulge your cocoa habit

Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate. Whether it’s in the supermarket or in your head, you can’t get away from the stuff. And anyway, why would you want to? I mean, all things in moderation, right? And aren’t the darker versions full of useful things like iron?

These are just some of the knotty questions that those with a sweet tooth can torture themselves with, particularly if you’re a chocaholic who also likes to bake. It can be soul-destroying – all that time spent looking for ways to satisfy your craving, while still trying to show yo u’re paying attention to the health gurus and heeding all those (very correct) warnings about eating too much sugar. Inner conflict if ever there was one.

Sometimes though, nothing else will do. If you want chocolate, let’s face it, you want chocolate, and no amount of almond croissants or meringues will do the trick.

Following my recent health battles, I made a healthy version using raw cacao powder, coconut oil and a bit of honey and/or nut butters of one kind or another.

This kind of chocolate is strictly for those who like it dark and rich, but my, it’s certainly very, very good. And believe it or not, just one or two portions knocked my cravings on the head. But these salted “caramels” are my new favourite “good” treat.

There’s no harm following tradition, either. Brownies have long been a firm favourite in my house, and I know mine isn’t the only one.

The best brownies are hellishly, almost evilly seductive, especially when served warm and accompanied by ice cream or a rich sauce. Their power is that almost irresistible taste explosion that comes from combining large quantities of butter, sugar and chocolate. Then there’s the texture: crumbly, fudgy, and densely rich.

So this week’s recipes are my way of resolving all that inner conflict. I like to think of it as a case of evil – brownies – versus not-so-evil: chocolate-covered caramels that are little bombs of sweetness sheathed in chocolate.

The sweetness comes from the dates, which is still a form of sugar, of course, though less processed. I have to say that I find these even more delicious than the brownies and had to keep reminding myself every time I fumbled around the freezer looking for one to gobble with a cup of tea that they were full of sugar and fat. Good variations on a theme – it is true – but don’t eat them without restraint.

I went for less processed in the brownies too, using rapsadura sugar, which is a less refined form of sugar, and by cutting the original quantity of sugar by half.

But there’s no room for smugness here, because these babies are laced with caramel sauce and peanut butter and then served with, you’ve got it, more caramel sauce.

Yup, brownies are definitely a tradition worth upholding. No conflict there.

dkemp@irishtimes.com
Food cooked and styled by Domini Kemp and Gillian Fallon