Roast Sweet Potatoes:

Roast the Sweet Potatoes

1. Wash 1 large or 2 smaller sweet potatoes. Prick them with a fork, and then roast at 375 F (190 C) for about 40-45 minutes, until you can easily slide a knife into the sweet potato.
2. Cut open the sweet potatoes to cool.
3. You can do this step up to a week ahead of time. If you do so, refrigerate the sweet potatoes until you’re ready to bake.

Soak the Dates*

1.  Cover the dates in a small pot with water.
2. Bring the water to a boil and then soak the dates for 5 minutes just to soften up.
3. Strain off the water, pressing down on the dates to remove as much water as you can.

*Skip this step if your roasted sweet potatoes seem watery or if your dates are sticky and squishy instead of hard.

Prep the Pan

1.  Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C).
2. Lightly spray an 8″x8″ pan with cooking spray, and then cut a piece of parchment

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    to line the bottom and sides of one side. Spray over the top of this piece of parchment

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   , then cut another one to go across the remaining 2 sides of the pan.

How to Make the Sweet Potato Batter

1. Scoop out enough sweet potato into a measuring cup to make 1 and 1/2 cups.
2. Add the sweet potato and the rest of the ingredients except the chopped chocolate to the bowl of a food processor

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   . Blend until smooth.
3. Add in all but a handful of the chopped chocolate.
4. Pulse a few times to distribute the chocolate through the batter.

Bake the Brownies

1. Scoop the batter into the prepared pan.
2. Scatter the rest of the chocolate over the top of the brownies.
3. Bake for 30-35 minutes until the brownies are set and the top begins to look dry.
4. Refrigerate the brownies for 30 minutes before cutting into either 9 large brownies or 16 small brownies.