Raw Brownies

I've been wanting to make raw brownies for a long time now: they just look so dense and chocolaty and healthy! Everything I look for in my food (as well as simple and fast: no baking because it's raw). Finally I got the chance to do so! I didn't add any honey to mine, and I feel like since I used all cocoa powder instead of half and half carob, this is why. It was good, but I feel a few tablespoons worth would go a long way. I doubled this recipe and pressed into a standard 8x8 square brownie pan. They're quite dense and rich, I would recommend making a single batch.

Raw Brownies
from Season to Season Eating
makes 4 large or 8 small brownies

Ingredients:
1 cup dates, pitted (fresh are better)
1/2 cup raw walnuts (or toasted, if you're not going for raw)
1/2 cup cocoa powder (or half and half carob powder)
1/4 cup flax seed
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
2 shakes cayenne
1/2 tsp course sea salt + more for sprinkling
honey (to taste)
2 Tbs water

Instructions:
1. Blend walnuts in a food processor until finely ground. Add dates and blend until a paste.
2. Add the rest of the ingredients and blend until spices are incorporated.
3. Pour the mixture into a small pan and press mixture into pan. Dust with additional cocoa powder and sea salt (or coarse/powdered sugar)

Fluffernutter Brownie Batter Ice Cream

This is by far my favorite ice cream that I've made so far. If you don't like peanut butter that much, use 1/4 cup. Also: I want to eventually figure out a better way to do the brownie chunks, which may involve making a brownie recipe without eggs, then balling up the thick fudge and using that. We will see, but this recipe is so easy to make, I can't imagine not doing so again in the future. A little bit goes a long way with this ice cream, though it has such a light, heavenly texture it's still very dense taste-wise.

Fluffernutter Brownie Batter Ice Cream
from Nat's Adventures in Baking

Ingredients:
1 - 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
2 cups cream
1/4 - 1/2 cup peanut butter (depending on affinity for pb)
1/2 cup marshmallow fluff

for the brownie chunks:
1/4 box brownie mix
2 Tbs butter
1 Tbs water

Instructions:
1. Place a large mixing bowl in the freezer for 10 minutes.
2. In a medium sized mixing bowl, beat the peanut butter and condensed milk together until well blended. Fold in the marshmallow fluff until just combined.
3. Combine all brownie chunk ingredients, and roll into small balls. Set aside.
4. Take the bowl out of the freezer, and beat the heavy cream with an electric whisk until  stuff peaks form.
5. Fold the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture, then add the brownie bits and fold until dispersed throughout.
6. Place mixture into a covered container and freeze overnight before scooping.