Fudgey chocolate squares (dairy, gluten free)

Thank you to anyone who has looked at my blog over the past month it has been a busy time due to writing my PhD thesis and organising a house move.

To add to the business I have not been well, and to cut a long story short I can currently eat no gluten or dairy. This does not make baking impossible but it does mean a little more planning.

I have made a simple Victoria sponge and that turned out beautifully and so I advanced a little more with fudgey chocolate squares. 

I hope to get back into my blog, a week volunteering and the move may slow me down a bit but i am back and ready to bake!

These fudgey chocolate squares are truly amazing. You honestly would not know that they lack either gluten or dairy. They are fudgey, chocolatey, rich, decadent and delicious. The frosting is amazing. 

I am going to enter these into this months alpha bakes, the letter is D, and these contain dark chocolate, dark cocoa powder and are dairy free!

Fudgey chocolate squares

Makes 18

200g dairy free spread, I use 'pure' sunflower

200g dark chocolate, check some dark chocolate contain dairy, even 70% ones

300g golden caster sugar

50g gluten free plain flour

1/2 tsp gluten free baking powder

1 tsp xantham gum

50g cocoa powder

1 tsp vanilla

4 medium eggs

For the frosting

100g dairy free spread

30g cocoa powder

200g icing sugar

Boiling water

Walnuts

Preheat the oven to 180C/160C FAN and grease and line a brownie tin with baking paper.

Gently melt the butter and dark chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Add in the sugar  and mix to combine. Add in the flour, baking powder, xantham gum and cocoa powder and mix well.  Finally mix in the vanilla and the eggs until you have a smooth batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared tin and level the surface, I found this easiest with a metal spoon dipped in hot water. 

Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes until firm to the touch. Leave to cool in the tin, when cold use the baking paper to lift from the tin and place on a baking rack.

To make the icing melt the butter in pan over a gentle heat, add the cocoa powder and cook for 1 minute whilst stirring. remove from the heat and beat in the icing sugar, it will look terrible, like it has split, never fear, add in a tablespoon of boiling water and beat well, add in a second tablespoon and beat well. The frosting should be thick  and smooth, with no sign of splitting, add tiny touch more water if you feel it neccessry. 

Smooth the frosting over the top of the cooled traybake and press in the walnuts. The walnuts are optional but add a nice textural contrast.

Try to leave for an hour our two before slicing otherwise frosting will go everywhere! These keep well for at least 5 days in an airtight tin.