Recipe to beat high blood pressure: chocolate snacking cake

Craving some chocolate? Each of these luscious little gems has only 70 calories and 1 gram of fat. Go ahead and indulge yourself!

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 35 minutes plus cooling

Serves 36

• 300 g (1 1/3 c) sifted self-rising flour
• 250 g (1 c) plus 10 ml (2 tsp) cocoa powder
• 50 g (1/4 c) nonfat buttermilk
• 15 ml (1 tbsp) instant espresso powder
• 250 g (1 c) granulated sugar
• 125 g (1/2 c) packed light brown sugar
• 125 g (1/2 c) unsweetened applesauce
• 10 ml (2 tsp) vanilla
• 2 large egg whites
• 125 g (1/2 c) mini chocolate chips
• 15 ml (1 tbsp) confectioners' sugar

1. Preheat oven to 160°C (325°F). Line 20-centimetre (8-inch) square baking pan with foil, leaving 2.5-cm (1-inch) overhang. Sift flour and 250 grams (1 cup) cocoa together into small bowl. Heat buttermilk and espresso in small pot over low heat until espresso is dissolved.
2. Mix granulated and brown sugars, applesauce, buttermilk mixture and vanilla in medium bowl. Stir in flour mixture just until blended. Beat egg whites in large bowl with electric mixer at high speed just until soft peaks form. Fold egg whites into batter. Stir in chocolate chips.
3.  Scrape batter into pan. Bake just until set, about 35 minutes (do not overbake). Cool in pan on wire rack 15 minutes. Lift out cake and set on rack to cool completely. Sift confectioners' sugar and remaining cocoa over cake. Cut into 36 3.5-centimetre (1.5-inch) squares.

•  Add 1 millilitre (1/4 teaspoon) coffee liqueur to the batter for a more "grown-up" taste.
• Substitute mini white chocolate chips for the regular chocolate ones.

•  By using applesauce, this recipe needs no oil or butter. The slight apple flavour it imparts complements the coffee-chocolate taste combination.

Key nutrients per serving (1 square): 70 calories, 10 calories from fat, 1 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 1 g protein, 16 g carb, 1 g fibre, 65 mg sodium.

Blood pressure nutrients: 1 mg vitamin C, 18 mg magnesium, 74 mg potassium, 24 mg calcium.