Chocolate and Hazelnut Brownies- vegan and sugar-free

Go ahead...take that second one without guilt!

My debut in the world of brownies had to be as healthy as possible: that was my mission...so I hope you'll agree that these are both delicious and less unhealthy than normal cakes. I wonder if they have less calories? I was pleased with the flavour; they are sweet enough, which is helped by the natural sweetness in the hazelnuts and the vanilla essence as well as the dates. I did misjudge how much they would rise, though, so another time I would put less mixture into the tin to get more of a classic brownie size and shape. This recipe makes 12-16, according to size of tin, shape and thickness.
400g self-raising flour
4 tspss baking poder
4 tabs cocoa powder (not drinking chocolate, which contains powdered milk)
150g hazelnuts, crushed with a rolling pin
100g chopped stoned dates
100ml water
3 tabs date syrup
400ml soya milk
159ml sunflower oil
2 tsps vanilla essence

• First, switch your oven on to 180C and prepare a large square baking tin. (If you use silicone lke I do, you just have to wet it. If you are using a conventional tin, I suspect it would be best to line it with oiled baking parchment.)
• Next prepare the date sweetener: simmer the dates with the water in a small sauxcepan until the water has been absorbed/ evaporated. Use a grinder or blender to whizz them into a coarse paste (some larger bits are okay), then stir in the date syrup.
• Mix the dry ingredients together, including the nuts. 
• In a separate container, mix the soya milk, sunflower oil, vanilla essence and date paste.
• Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and beat thoroughly for about 2 minutes.
• Put the mixture into the prepared tin (s); make it about 1.5m deep as it will rise as it cooks.
• Bake at 180C for about 15 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out dry and clean.
• When cool, turn out and cut into squares or rectangles.