Merlot and Chocolate Brownies

Friday is here and what better way to celebrate than with Merlot and Chocolate Brownies that are also gluten free? It’s no secret I am in LOVE with a range of products that I have discovered from Chayah Foods. I have already made a Matcha Blue Smoothie Bowl and Blueberry Moon Milk. There was another product that got my creative juices flowing – their Merlot Flour.

Say what? Merlot Wine Flour?

This flour is real and is perfect in any recipe to add flavour, colour and even nutrition. Its taste is just like a good Merlot – but in powdered form! It is naturally gluten-free as well as alcohol free, but I found that it still gave the brownies a winey taste!

The Merlot and Chocolate Brownies

I did some research on Merlot Wine Flour and found that while you do not use the flour as a complete substitute, it can be added in as an enhancer to other flours.  Chocolate and Wine already go together like Gin and Tonic – so the flavour is spot on.

All that was left was to get the ratios right – and I made a decision to use a recipe that I’d already created for Gluten Free Chocolate Brownies.

I guessed quantities of the recipe and luckily managed to get it right the first time.🤩 The icing I felt also needed to be wine flavoured, so I used a bottle of Merlot and some icing sugar, playing around until I got the right consistency.

I have to say I am pretty chuffed with the results.

There isn’t a lot of the Merlot flour in the blend, but there is enough to give the brownies a winey flavour that is intriguing and delicious.

You can buy your Merlot Flour from Chayah Foods website at a cost of R139 for 40g.  (I do not make anything of the purchase 😁)

I am also running an Chayah Foods giveaway on Instagram if you would like to play around with some of their goodies too.

And now for the Merlot & Chocolate Brownie recipe….

Happy Baking,

Love,

Cat

Merlot & Chocolate Brownies

Print Pin

Gluten and Dairy Free Merlot Chocolate Brownies

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword brownies, Chocolate, Gluten Free, Merlot, merlot flour

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 10

Author Cat Barker

Ingredients

For the Brownies

• Ingredients
• 1 cup Caster Sugar
• 1/3 cup coconut flour
• 3/4 cup very good quality cocoa powder
• 1 TBS of Merlot Wine Powder
• Pinch of Salt
• 21/2 tablespoons coconut oil melted but not hot
• 1 tablespoon vanilla essence
• 3 large eggs

For the Merlot frosting:

• 1 cup of icing sugar
• 1/3 cup good quality cocoa powder
• 4 TBS Merlot Wine
• 1 Tsp Almond Milk

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 175 °C and line a 20cmx20cm pan with baking paper.
• You need two bowls for this recipe. In one bowl, stir together the sugar, flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Set aside.
• In the second bowl, stir together the melted coconut oil, vanilla and eggs. Stir until combined.
• Add the dry mixture to the wet and stir until combined, ensuring not to overmix
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 16-20 minutes or until the brownies appear set in the middle, with a little bit of a gooey appearance
• Let the brownies cool completely in the pan and then prepare the frosting.
• Mix all frosting ingredients together, let cool for about 20 minutes and then pour over the brownies.
• Place the pan in the refrigerator and chill for 1-2 hours or until the frosting is firm and cut into squares 

Notes

If you only have a smaller baking pan, the brownies will be thicker, so just cook them for 5 – 10 minutes longer.

If your icing is too runny, add more icing sugar. If it is too thick, add more wine.