I debated about whether to call these triple chocolate brownies or chocolate fudge brownies or something else, finally settling on simply Hazelnut Fudge Brownies.

Made with sprouted spelt, raw cacao and pastured butter, these brownies are insanely delicious by any name..

1 cup raw cacao beans
1/4 cup oz raw cacao powder
1/4 cup oz unsweetened chocolate chips
1/2 cup organic, raw hazelnuts
1/4 lb (1 stick) pastured butter, softened
1/2 cup rapadura or other non-refined sweetener
2 large pastured eggs
1 teaspoon real vanilla extract
4 oz sprouted spelt flour
1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
1 3-fingered pinch sea salt

Place the raw cacao and hazelnuts on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and roast in a 350 degree oven for about 12 minutes.  Do not allow to burn.

When cool enough to handle, place the cacao beans in a clean kitchen towel and bash with a small skillet or meat mallet. Take the towel outside and allow the wind to blow away the papery skins.  You’ve just made your own cacao nibs.

Now do the same thing with the hazelnuts, but don’t worry too much about the skins.

Combine flour, cacao powder, salt and baking powder in a glass bowl.

Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in the vanilla, then add the eggs one at a time, stirring vigorously.

Pour the wet mixture into the flour mixture, add the cacao nibs and stir to combine.

Spread the batter (it will be thick and paste-like) into a buttered 9×9 baking dish and sprinkle hazelnuts and chocolate chips over the top.

Bake in a 350 degree oven until a knife blade inserted into the middle comes out almost, but not-quite clean, about 20-25 minutes.  Do not over-bake, or the brownies will be dry.

Cover the pan with a clean towel and allow to cool on a rack for at least 20 minutes.

Serving with a glass of fresh milk if you like.

Did you know that raw cacao has 30 times the anti-oxidant power of green tea?