I have written before about my love for effortless desserts. Desserts that can be made while something else is cooking on the stove. Desserts that do not create additional pressure when making or serving them.
This is one of those treats, perfected to my liking. Fudgy brownie base, cookie dough frosting, and a drizzle of extra dark chocolate on top. Simply marvellous.
Now, I must point out that this cookie dough is, as all my cookie dough is, made with ground rolled oats. I do not like using raw flour in my desserts, and that extends even to the heat-treated flour, as the texture it gives to the frosting is pretty much the same, and not to my liking.
This way, rolled oats are finely ground, mixed with softened vegan butter and hazelnut milk, and give a wonderfully nutty flavour to the frosting. Just perfect with a glass of milk.
Ingredients
For the chocolate brownie base
180 grams plain flour
200 grams granulated sugar
20 grams unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
small pinch of salt
150 millilitres water
100 grams applesauce
60 millilitres vegetable oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
For the cookie dough frosting
150 grams vegan block butter, softened
150 grams dark brown sugar
100 grams rolled oats, very finely ground
75 millilitres hazelnut milk
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
50 grams miniature chocolate chips
For the decoration
100 grams dark chocolate (75%)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Preparation
To make the fudge chocolate brownie base, take a large bowl and sift in the plain flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Add in the sugar and mix very well. Line a small (15 cm) round baking pan with baking parchment, bottom and sides, and set it aside. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients; add in the warm water, oil, vanilla, applesauce, and the vinegar, and whisk until just combined.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and immediately bake in a preheated oven, at 180°C, for about 25-30 minutes, or until done. Check it with a toothpick, making sure it stays fudgy, and not dry. Let it cool in the pan for a few minutes, and then turn it out onto a wire rack and let it cool to room temperature.
To make the cookie dough frosting, start by placing the dark brown sugar into a blender and letting it run until it resembles icing sugar. Alternatively, use dark brown icing sugar, if available. Place the softened vegan block butter into a large bowl, and whip with an electric mixer on high, for about 5 minutes, until lighter in colour and texture.
Add in the sugar, and whip on high for another 5 minutes, until blended, smooth, and almost resembling whipped cream. Add in the finely ground oats, hazelnut milk, and vanilla, and blend until smooth. Finally, add in the chocolate chips, and fold them through.
Place the cooled cake onto a serving platter, close a cake ring around it, if you are more comfortable working that way, and spread the cookie dough frosting evenly. Place the cake into the refrigerator for at least 8 hours. Just before serving, melt together the dark chocolate and the vegetable oil, over low heat or in the microwave, slice up the cake, glaze each piece, and serve. Yields 12 servings.
