Sunday, December 2, 2012

Triple Chocolate Black Bean Brownies


There is something about this season that makes you indulge in baked goodies and chocolates. At least it is so for me. It may be because of festive mood that is in the air or the fact that the year is about to end and your new year resolutions doesn't hold good any more. Or could it be that with the new year around and a new set of resolutions to make, this may be the craving to go for a last binge? Whatever be the reason, I find myself tempted to make more of such treats.
But this time around, when I wanted to make some chocolate brownies, to reduce my guilt, I thought of going for a healthier alternative using  black beans . Even though there are brownies made with black beans alone, I didn't dare venture that far.These brownies tasted just like the regular ones and till I told them, my tasters couldn't tell them apart.
Recipe source: Joy the Baker
Ingredients:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1/2 cup chocolate chips
2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup black beans, rinsed and pureed in food processor
1 1/3 cups white sugar
2 eggs plus 1 egg white
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder (Hershey’s Special Dark)
1/2 teaspoon salt
Walnut chunks and coarse sea salt for topping (optional)

Method:
Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Butter a 9-inch square baking pan and line with parchment paper, leaving 2-inches of overhang on all sides.  Butter and flour the parchment paper as well.
Fill a medium sauce pan with 2 inches of water.  Bring the water to a simmer.  Place butter, semi-sweet, and unsweetened chocolate in the bowl.  Place the bowl over simmering water and stir until chocolate and butter are melted and combined.  Remove the bowl from the simmering saucepan.
Allow the melted chocolate mixture to cool for a few moments.  Whisk in the eggs and white, one at a time, until mixture is glossy. Whisk in the sugar.  Whisk in the bean puree and vanilla extract.
In a small bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and sea salt.  Add the dry ingredients, all at once, to the chocolate mixture.  Use a spatula and fold to incorporate.  Once thoroughly combined, pour the batter into the prepared pan.  Top with walnuts and sea salt, if using.
Bake brownies for 25-28 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out with just a few chocolate crumbs on it.  The center may seem undercooked, but it will cook further as it cools.  Brownies are better slightly underdone than overdone.
Let cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes.  Use the overhanging parchment paper to remove the brownies from the pan and slice.
Cut brownies into 9 or 12 generous pieces.

8 comments:

  1. Nice crusty brownies...they look yummy...adding black bean is a nice healthy twist

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  2. wow Vidhya Brownies look so inviting and who can so no to them :)

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  3. Very gorgeous and super tempting brownies. Am yet to try black beans in brownies.

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  4. perfect looking brownies...looks delicious too

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  5. once i tried chocolate cake with chickpeas, this sounds even more healthy n delicious...perfectly baked ones!!

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  6. Adding black bean is new and interesting...Brownies look wonderful..

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