Dark Chocolate & Raspberry Chickpea Blondies

Ingredients

• canned chickpeas — drained and rinsed400 g
• ground almonds100 g
• coconut sugar100 g
• almond butter145 g
• maple syrup60 ml
• vanilla extract5 ml
• raspberries200 g
• hazelnuts — roughly chopped30 g
• dark chocolate — 70% cocoa, optional50 g

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C fan / 350°F. Line a small baking tray with baking parchment.
2. Place the chickpeas, ground almonds, coconut sugar, almond butter, maple syrup, vanilla extract and a pinch of salt in a food processor; blitz until smooth.
3. Add the hazelnuts to the food processor and pulse briefly until just combined.
4. Tip the mixture onto the baking tray, smooth out into an even layer and scatter over the raspberries. Bake for 25–30 minutes, until cooked at the edges but still soft in the middle. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool in the tin.
5. Gently melt the chocolate (if using) in the microwave on a low heat or in a bain marie; use a spoon to drizzle over the blondie. Set aside briefly to let the chocolate set before slicing into squares.