suitable for folk trying to avoid too much butter

Based on a Good Housekeeping suggestion, this unlikely recipe uses aubergine to replace much of the butter. It really works and makes really good brownies that are not too rich.

• 100gm unsalted butter
• 300gm peeled and cubed aubergine – I used one largish fruit
• 250gm dark chocolate, finely chopped – I used Sainsbury’s 70% and just a little less than 250gm
• 250gm brown soft sugar – the original recipe called for light brown but I used dark and it was fine
• 50gm cocoa powder
• 4 smallish eggs beaten
• 50gm ground almonds
• half a teaspoon of baking powder.
• Quarter tsp salt

• Put cubed aubergines into a pan of water, cover, simmer for 15 mins. Drain well and return to the pan.
• While still warm, add chopped chocolate and butter to the aubergine and stir until butter and chocolate is melted.
• Scrape into a food processor and blend until smooth.
• Add sugar and cocoa powder and blend again.
• Finally, add eggs, ground almonds baking powder and salt – blend.
• Pour mixture into a buttered tin and into the oven for 30 mins at 180°C (160°C fan assisted).
• Leave to cool in the tin, sprinkle with cocoa powder and cut into squares.

These will keep in a tin for up to two days but I recommend storing them in the fridge. You will eat them anyway much sooner than that!