Raw Chocolate Frosted Fudge Brownie

Source: Naturally Sweet and Gluten-Free

These brownies offer a double fudgy treat that’s reminiscent of Nutella in its chocolate-hazelnut glory. I cut these into small, bite-sized morsels—but that’s all you’ll need to satisfy your chocolate craving!

Ingredients

For the Brownies:

• 1 1/2 cups raw walnut halves and pieces
• 1 1/2 cups raw or lightly toasted hazelnuts (see note)
• 2/3 cup xylitol
• pinch fine sea salt
• 3/4 cup raw cacao powder (see note)
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp pure plain or vanilla liquid stevia or to taste

For the Fudge Topping:

• 1 cup coconut butter (not coconut oil), melted (See recipe on how to make it)
• 1 cup raw or lightly toasted hazelnuts
• 1 heaping 1/4 cup raw cacao powder (see note)
• 1/4 cup xylitol 
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• pinch fine sea salt
• 20-30 drops plain or vanilla liquid stevia, or to taste

Directions
Make the brownie:
1.  Line an 8.5 inch (21.5 cm) square pan with parchment paper and set aside (for thicker brownies, recipe can be made in a loaf pan instead).
2.  In a food processor, whir the walnuts, hazelnuts, xylitol, and salt until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the cacao powder, vanilla powder, and stevia and process until it begins to come together in a ball. Stop and scrape the sides if necessary while processing. Take care not to overprocess, or you’ll end up with nut butter! The mixture should be moist enough to stick together when pinched, but not wet.
3.  Turn the brownie “dough” into the pan and press down firmly with your hands or a stiff spatula so that the mixture is dense and there are no air bubbles. Place in the refrigerator while you prepare the fudge topping.

Make the fudge topping:
1.  Place the coconut butter, hazelnuts, cacao powder, xylitol and salt in a high-speed blender. Using the tamper to push the mixture toward the blades, blend until the mixture liquefies, about 5 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides as necessary.
2.  Add the vanilla extract and stevia and blend again.
3.  Pour the mixture over the brownie dough in the pan.
4.  Return to the refrigerator until the fudge sets up, about one hour.
5.  Using the parchment paper as a sling, pull out the brownie and place it on a cutting board.
6.  Cut into 1.-inch (4-cm) squares and store, covered, in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
7.  Will keep, covered, in the refrigerator, for up to 5 days. May be frozen; defrost, covered, in the refrigerator overnight.

Note: For brownies that are not completely raw, you can use lightly toasted nuts and unsweetened cocoa powder instead of the raw cacao powder (though you may need to increase the sweetener in that case).

For those with allergies, substitute other nuts or seeds as needed.  I think almonds would be especially nice.