Healthy Fudgy Brownies (Perfect for a Birthday)

I remember my first bean brownie experience. It was in Westport, CT, at this little natural foods store called Food for Thought. Everything and anything in there was virtuous and healthy. And flavorless and dull, or so I thought. Until my mom brought these home. Super moist, chocolaty, and a bit fudgy, I figured there had to be tons of butter and sugar in them…

Not black beans. Yeah, THOSE black beans.

Now that I’m gluten-free, these are the perfect, easy, chocolaty fix I often crave. Plus, I don’t feel all too bad knowing they contain black beans, packed with protein, nutrients, and other goodness. It’s like a super food sweet.

I recently made these for a friend for her birthday. Topped with one of my favorite Talenti flavors, and homemade whipped cream. Later this week, they’ll likely be served for a late-night, study-break/schoolwork snack infused with some peanut butter, perhaps – ‘cause we killed the caramel last week…

Birthday Black Bean Brownies 

1 (15 ounce) can no-salt-added black beans, drained and rinsed, and pureed until smooth
3 large eggs
1/3 cup melted butter, more for the baking dish
1/3 cup cocoa powder plus 2 tablespoons dark hot chocolate mix
1/8 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Butter an 8-inch baking pan. Place the black beans, eggs, melted butter, cocoa powder, salt, vanilla extract, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor, or with an immersion blender in a medium bowl, and blend until smooth. Remove the blade and gently stir in the chocolate chips. Transfer mixture to the prepared pan. Bake the brownies for 30 or so, or until just set in the center. Cool before cutting into squares.

The Most Addictive Brownies... EVER (and, they're dairy-free)

Warning. These are addictive. I mean really addictive. If you can stop at just one, let me know how. I always seem to go back for a second. It's a terrible, terrible thing.

Last week, my yearning for something chocolate, and my urge to bake, came to a head. I had to have something rich and chocolatey, but not too cloyingly sweet. I've been playing around with non-dairy chocolate desserts, and decided to play around with brownies again. My ingredients of choice? Coconut oil (many who know me know I'm slightly obsessed -- yes, it's saturated, but it's really good for you, your dry skin, and it helps boost your metabolism) and cocoa powder.

Now, I've never made my family's recipe for brownies with cocoa powder. The recipe calls for baking chocolate. Sometimes, we'll adjust the sugar and add in bittersweet Valhrona. But never powder. When baking with cocoa powder, as opposed to chocolate, you've got to use a bit more butter/fat, as the cocoa powder lacks the cocoa butter that chocolate has.

I've been intrigued by Alice Medrich's recipe for cocoa brownies, so I decided to use that baking technique as the basis for my new recipe. Though I nearly had a heart-attack when the brownies emerged from the oven practically still liquid (full disclosure: coconut oil is liquid at higher temperatures, so the brownies don't set like normal ones. Put them in the freezer and let them solidify. If you're still not happy when they emerge, email me), an hour later they came out perfect. A bit crunchy and caramelized in places, thanks to the use of brown sugar; a hint of coconut from the oil; and no yucky or too-sweet aftertaste. When I bake with butter, I feel a bit groggy and stuffy the next day -- that never happened with coconut oil. Amazing.

Dairy-Free Cocoa Brownies

8 ounces coconut oil
3/4 cup cocoa powder, I used Ghiradelli
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup flour

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In a double boiler over gently simmering water, combine the coconut oil and cocoa powder. Mix until smooth then let sit.

In a bowl, combine the sugars and salt. Add the vanilla. Add the eggs and combine well. Pour in the melted chocolate mixture and combine well. Pour into a foil-lined 8x8-inch pan and bake for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes (yes, it looks liquid), transfer the pan to the freezer and let it cool for about an hour, or until it's solid. Remove the brownies using the foil and cut into 16 pieces... and try not to eat more than 4 in one sitting.

A sweet treat for your inner chocoholic

Oh, I've been so bad! It's been a long while since I've posted last! This fall has gotten the better of me, between culinary school, travelling over the weekends, packing and cleaning house. Sigh.

So, to kick off some new postings, I'm going to share one of my new favorite desserts with you!

I've always been a brownie girl. Growing up, I was the designated brownie baker in the family, and I've tried all sorts of recipes: using bittersweet chocolate, unsweetened chocolate, adding more chocolate. Many are all quite good, but none ever really blow my mind away. You see, I'm a fan of a not-too-sweet, but quite chocolate-y flavor, with a "underdone" consistency, and a thin crisp top. I've come quite close, but never hit the nail on the head (note: there is one more recipe I want to test).

So, when planning the menu for an impromtu dinner party last Sunday, a quick, easy and chocolate-y dessert was in order - a variation on Ina Garten's Brownie Pudding!

I've learned to modify most of Ina's recipes, cutting back on salt and/or butter. Here, I've cut back the sugar, and the baking technique. It results in a less-tooth-hurting sweetness, with the same fudgy goodness in half the time.

(if you don't have a convection oven, don't fret - just watch the pudding. It might take a little longer)

My version of Ina's Brownie Pudding

2 sticks unsalted butter, room temp

4 large eggs, room temp

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

3/4 cup cocoa powder (I like Ghiradelli)

1/2 cup flour

Seeds from one vanilla bean

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Butter a 2 qt (9x12") oval baking pan. Melt the 2 sticks of butter and set aside to cool. Bring 2 qts water to a boil and remove from heat, set aside.

Beat eggs and sugar on medium-high for 5-10 minutes, until thick and light yellow. Meanwhile, sift together the cocoa and flour in separate bowl.

When the egg and sugar mixture is ready, reduce speed to low, and add vanilla seeds, then cocoa and flour. Mix just til combined. With mixer on low, slowly pour in cooled butter and mix to just combine.

Pour batter into into prepared dish and place in larger baking pan. Bring boiled water to a boil again, and carefully pour into larger dish, so that it comes halfway up the side of the oval dish, to make a water bath. Bake the pudding in the convection oven for approx 20-30 minutes, when a tester placed in 1 1/2-2" in from side comes out clean. Center will be very underbaked, as the texture is between a brownie and a pudding. Cool and serve with creme anglaise, whipped cream, or vanilla ice cream.