Nina and I spent 3 months in Ethiopia while we were in the adoption process of Lex and Tizzy. During this time we were introduced to a flour called Teff. The Ethiopians use Teff to make Injera. It is a flat, sponge-like bread that is high in iron. They use this bread to eat their food with, instead of silverware. It is mostly because they eat a lot of what Americans would call stews or wot, in Amharic. It is nearly tasteless and spongy but the texture is so good. I love eating it. A few weeks ago I convinced the family to stop in at Queen of Sheba restaurant in Louisville, Ky. The food was so amazing, and the Injera was fantastic. And Lex couldn’t get enough of it!
So, needless to say, when I heard of Teff Brownies from Witlshire Pantry (also in Louisville) I had to try them. They were so good!! I decided that I needed to get my own Teff and try it at home. I am the cook and pastry chef of the house. It is not because Nina isn’t an amazing cook, because she is, but it is because I like to know when and what we are eating. It is much easier to do this when I am in control of such things. So I researched some different recipes, came up with my own version, then I went to the store and got the ingredients.
Peppermint Teff Brownies – Gluten Free and No Refined Sugars
PREP TIME
20-25 mins (especially if it’s your first time)
COOK TIME
15 mins
TOTAL TIME
35-40 mins
Author: Wes Mullins
Serves: 16-20
Baking Dish: 16-count Muffin Pan (pre-grease with organic butter or unrefined coconut oil)
INGREDIENTS
1 Cup teff flour (Bob’s Red Mill Teff Flour)
1/2 Cup of raw honey (pourable) (Breitsamer Honig from Germany)
1 Teaspoon Sea Salt (Kirkland Signature)
1 Stick Organic unsalted Butter (Simple Truth)
2 Drops of Peppermint Essential Oil (Young Living)
1 Bag of Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips (Guittard)
1 Teaspoon pure vanilla extract (Better Body Foods, Organic Bourbon Madagascar Vanilla Pure Extract)
3 Eggs, room temperature (Simple Truth, Grain Fed, Range-Free Eggs)
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda (Arm & Hammer)
*you can use any brand of the above ingredients. These are just what we use.
INSTRUCTIONS
Prep:
Heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 16-count muffin pan. (You can use paper muffin wrappers if you like instead of greasing, or a large greased pan [this will increase the cook time a few minutes].)
Mixing:
In a large bowl, combine teff flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. (I usually use a hand sifter to combine dry ingredients.)
Double Boil 1 cup of Chocolate Chips. Slowly add chips until you have about 3/4 to a cup of chocolate in the measuring cup. Once completely melted turn off burner Set aside.
Add Raw Honey (here’s a tip: coat the measuring cup/glass in coconut oil and the honey will not stick to the container), vanilla, and eggs one at time until combined. Whisk this until it is combined well and the texture is creamy. Then pour in melted chocolate. Stir the mixture with a spatula until well blended.
Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients. Stir until well combined and you have a good brownie consistency. Sometimes the melted chocolate can harden up too soon. If this happens, you will want to hand fold the batter with a good bit of elbox-grease in order to mix ingredients thorougly. Then add 1 cup of Guittard Semi-sweet Chocolate Chips. Stir until well combined.
Add 2 drops of Young Living Peppermint Oil. (You can try 1 drop and then taste the batter. My family and I liked the 2 drops.)
Using a large spoon, and put one dollop into each (pre-greased) muffin cup. It should fill the muffin cup to half-way. If you have two muffin pans you could start another batch. The mix made enough for at least 20 brownies if you only use one spoonful in each cup.
Baking:
Bake for no more than 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean. You should check at 12 minutes. (Tip: Be careful not to bump or shake the rising brownies or they may fall. They are kind of like a soufflé.) Cool on a wire rack. Careful not to overbake, Teff can be much drier than other flours if overcooked. Eat plain, or add a little organic whipped cream and some raspberries to make them extra pretty.
