Palm Oil Free Treats - 5. Chocolatey Toffee Brownies

With ever increasing awareness about the negative effects that the palm oil industry is having on the environment, it remains a great shame that more and more everyday products seem to contain it. However, as companies are permitted to list it as "vegetable oil" in their ingredients consumers are unable to make an informed decision.

The worst thing for many consumer-level palm oil activists is not just the fact that basic products contain it, but also that those rare indulgences are now a thing of the past with palm oil found (but listed as vegetable oil) in all kinds of treats including chocolate, sweets, ice cream and numerous types of biscuit. So, at A-Z Animals we have prepared a number of palm oil free recipes for you to enjoy!

Treat 5: Chocolatey Toffee Brownies

Ingredients

350g organic and fairtrade dark chocolate 250g softened butter 250g dark muscovado sugar 85g plain flour 3 large eggs 1 tsp baking powder

Cooking Preheat the oven to 160 °C/320 °F/gas mark 3. Grease and line a square, shallow cake tin. Break the chocolate into pieces before melting with the butter. Stir well and set aside to cool. Crack the eggs into a large bowl and whisk until pale, then add the sugar and keep whisking until the mix is thick and glossy. Slowly mix in the melted chocolate and butter before adding the flour and baking powder. Stir gently until the mixture is smooth and well-combined.

Pour the mixture into the lined cake tin and bake for 30 - 35 minutes until it feels firm to the touch (this can be tested by gently inserting a knife into the center which should only have a few crumbs on it when pulled back out). The brownies should still be soft right in the middle but will harden as they cool. Leave in the cake tin to cool before cutting them into equal sized squares. They can be kept for a few days if in an airtight container. Save the rainforest. Save the orang-utan. Save the world. Sign the petition today.