Method (shortbread)

1. Preheat the oven to 180℃ fan, and line an 8 x 8 inch square / loose base tin with greaseproof paper.  Allow the paper to hang over the edges of the tin, this makes it easier to remove the bars when ready.
2. Sift the flour and sugar into a medium sized mixing bowl. Add in the vanilla extract and stir to combine.
3. Add in the chilled butter. Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour mixture until a crumbly dough forms.
4. Fold in the iChoc chocolate.
5. Crumble the dough into the base of the tin and press down with your hands or an offset spatula. Tip: dust your fingers with flour, it prevents the dough from sticking.
6. Place into the middle of the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until light and golden in colour. Remove and set aside, keep the oven on as you’ll be baking the brownie.

Method (brownie)

1. Sift the cocoa powder and flour together in a medium bowl.
2. Fill a small saucepan 1/4 full with water and place on the hob over medium heat. Add the dairy-free dark chocolate and butter into a heat-proof bowl. Place the bowl over the pan, creating a bain-marie. Allow the chocolate and butter to melt together, stirring with a heat proof spatula. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for a few minutes while you make prepare the aquafaba.
3. Add the aquafaba and sugar into a medium sized mixing bowl and whip up on high speed for around 5 minutes until thick and glossy. I use a stand mixer with balloon whisk attachment. A electric hand whisk will work great too. Whip on high speed to combine. The aquafaba mixture should be thick enough that when it drips into the bowl, the mixture should ribbon off the mixer.
4. Sprinkle the coffee granules into the hot chocolate mixture and mix to combine.
5. Pour the chocolate over the aquafaba, and carefully fold together with a spatula. Make sure to be very gentle with this step as you want to keep as much air in the mixture as possible.
6. Once combined, sift in the flour and cocoa powder. Again, fold this in with a spatula until a rich and thick brownie batter forms.
7. Add in the roughly chopped iChoc chocolate and fold to combine.
8. Pour the brownie batter on top of the shortbread base and level off with an off set spatula.
9. Place the tin into the middle of the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes.
10. Once baked, remove the tin from the oven and allow to cool fully on a wire rack. Trick: Once out of the oven, tap the tin on the worktop to remove any air bubbles this helps to flatten the brownie. Keep the brownie in the tin while it’s cooling. This will help it keeps it’s shape and will also lock in some of the moisture, which will help with the chewy texture.

Method (frosting)

1. In a large mixing bowl add in the dairy-free butter, whip until creamy. I use a stand mixer with a balloon whisk attachment, a hand mixer will work great too.
2. Sift in the icing sugar and vanilla. Whip on high speed for a couple of minutes to incorporate it. Add in the dairy-free milk and whip for a further 5 minutes on high speed to get it to a smooth consistency. You want it to be thick and creamy.
3. Transfer the buttercream into a piping bag fitted with a grass tip nozzle. This is preferable for the overall look of the polar bears, but if you don’t have one you can spoon it on and use a fork to make the fur.
4. Slice the brownies into your desired size bars, pipe the frosting over the top. Watch the tutorial video here. 

Polar bear decoration

1. Fill a small saucepan 1/4 full with water and place on the hob over medium heat. Add the dairy-free chocolate into a heat proof bowl. Place the bowl over the pan, creating a bain-marie. Allow the chocolate to melt, stirring with a heat proof spatula. Remove from the heat and allow to cool for a few minutes. Transfer into a piping bag and snip off the tip.
2. Press two vegan white chocolate buttons to the top of the brownie, and one in the middle for the snout. Pipe on two dark chocolate eyes and the nose. Allow to set and serve. You can even serve them with a dusting of icing sugar.