Organic Treasure

Healthy Chocolate Treats-In moderation, you can enjoy the glorious taste of chocolate guilt-free

Double-Chocolate Brownies

Prune puree, available in the condiment section of the supermarket, replaces some of the fat in these fudgy brownies

Ingredients:

4 ounces semisweet chocolate, broken into pieces
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup turbinado sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg white
1/4 cup prune puree
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup oat flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking pan with foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang.
Combine chocolate and oil in a medium heat-proof bowl. Set bowl over a pan of simmering water; stir until chocolate has melted. Remove from heat; whisk in sugar, egg, egg white, prune puree, vanilla, and salt until smooth.
In a medium bowl, combine flour and cocoa. Stir into chocolate mixture just until incorporated.
Spread batter in prepared pan. Bake until top is firm and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool completely in pan. Using foil, lift brownies from pan. Peel off foil. Using a serrated knife, cut into 12 rectangles.

Spiced Hot Dark Chocolate

According to Ayurvedic medicine, warming spices such as cinnamon and cardamom can help boost energy. And by swapping soy milk for regular, you ensure that dark chocolate's antioxidants will be more fully absorbed.

Ingredients:

1 quart soy milk
6 ounces dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

Directions:

In a small saucepan, combine all ingredients and whisk over medium-low heat until the chocolate has melted completely and the mixture is steaming hot, about 5 minutes. Serve.

Double Dark-Chocolate and Ginger Biscotti

The sweet spiciness of the crystallized ginger in these cookies complements the richness of the dark chocolate. Cooking tip: Avoid getting water in the chocolate mixture while it's melting, or the chocolate will seize up and become granular and clumpy, ultimately making it difficult to work with.

Ingredients

1 cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 large egg, plus 1 large egg yolk
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt until well combined; set aside. In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat egg, egg yolk, and sugar until light and fluffy; beat in the vanilla and oil until well combined.
With the mixer on low, beat in dry ingredients until combined. Fold in walnuts, chocolate, and ginger with a rubber spatula (dough will be stiff).
With moistened hands shape the dough into 2 logs, each about 9 inches long and 2 1/2 inches wide. Bake until set on top, about 20 minutes. Cool 10 minutes in pan. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.
Transfer logs to a cutting board and, with a serrated knife, cut each log on the diagonal into 16 slices, each 1/2 inch thick. Bake until crisp, about 20 minutes, turning the biscotti over midway through. Cool 5 minutes on a baking sheet, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to a week.