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Chocolate brownies with white chocolate ghosts on top.

Vegan Triple Chocolate Shortbread Brownies


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5 from 1 review

Description

Vegan Triple Chocolate Shortbread Brownies, with a buttery chocolate shortbread crust, a rich fudgey brownie center, and spooky ganache on top. Perfect for Halloween!


Ingredients

Units Scale

Ingredients for the chocolate shortbread

  • 240g of plain / all purpose flour
  • 40g of cocoa powder
  • 140g of caster sugar
  • 230g of dairy-free butter (cold)

Ingredients for the brownie

  • 60g of cocoa powder
  • 180g of plain / all purpose flour
  • 170g of dairy-free dark chocolate
  • 110g of dairy-free butter
  • 120ml of aquafaba (chickpea brine)
  • 280g of caster sugar
  • 20g of dairy-free white chocolate chips
  • 30g of dairy-free dark chocolate chips

Ingredients for the ganache

  • 130g of dairy-free dark chocolate
  • 100g of dairy-free cream (see notes*)
  • 50g of dairy-free white chocolate

Instructions

Method (chocolate shortbread)

  1. Preheat the oven to 180℃ fan, and line a 8 x 8 inch square / loose base tin with grease proof paper.  Allow the paper to hang over the edges of the tin, this makes it easier for removing the bars when ready.
  2. Sift the flour, cocoa powder and sugar into a medium sized mixing bowl. Stir to combine.
  3. Add in the cold butter. Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour mixture crumbly dough forms.
  4. Crumble the dough into the base of the tin and press down with your hands or a off set spatula. Tip: Dust your fingers with flour / cocoa, it prevents the dough from sticking.
  5. Place into the middle of the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until light and puffed up. Remove from the oven.

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 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. The aquafaba mixture should be thick enough that when it drips into the bowl, the mixture should ribbon off the mixer.
  4. Pour the melted butter / 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.
  5. Once combined, sift in the flour and cocoa powder. Again, fold this in with a spatula until a rich and thick brownie batter forms.
  6. Pour the brownie batter on top of the shortbread base and level off with an off set spatula
  7. Sprinkle the white and dark chocolate chips over the top, slightly pressing them down into the brownie.
  8. Place the tin into the middle of the oven and bake for 30-35 minutes. 
  9. Once baked, remove the tin from the oven and allow to cool fully on a wire rack. TIP: 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 (ganache)

  1. Place the dark chocolate into a heat-proof bowl. Fill a small saucepan 1/4 with water and place over the hob on a low / medium heat. Place the bowl on-top to create a bain-marie. Melt the chocolate. Pour in the dairy-free cream and whip until smooth.
  2. Pour the ganache over the top of the brownie, use a spoon or off set spatula to spread it out. Add a little bit of ganache into a piping bag and snip off the tip. 
  3. Place the white chocolate into a heat-proof bowl. Fill a small saucepan 1/4 with water and place over the hob on a low / medium heat. Place the bowl on-top to create a bain-marie. Melt the chocolate. Once melted, transfer into a piping bag and snip off the tip.
  4. Use a heavy squeeze towards the top of the ghost, then taper off and pull the white chocolate downward to create the “ghost” shape. Use a skewer to help drag the ‘tail’ end of the ghost into shape. 
  5. Pipe on the ghost eyes and mouth using the ganache in the piping bag.
  6. Allow the ganache to set in the fridge for 1-2 hours or until it’s set.
  7. Lift the brownies out of the tin using the overhangs of grease proof paper, and place on a board.
  8. Heat a sharp knife in some warm water then slice into bars.
  9. Serve and enjoy.

Notes

To store: Store in a sealed container in the fridge. Allow to come to room temperature before serving. Best enjoyed within 3/4 days of making

What dairy-free cream to use? For ganache, coconut cream or any vegan single / double cream will work perfectly! 

What dairy-free butter to use? My favourite vegan friendly butters are Naturli Vegan Block and Flora Plant Based Alternative. Both can be found in most large uk supermarkets. If outside the uk, simply use your favourite vegan butter brand!  

  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 50 minutes
  • Category: Brownies
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American