Brownie Bake-off: Not Your Mother's Brownies!
Followers of the Brownie Bake-off know that I was planning our grand finale for today. But given the number of recent submissions, I just had to carve out a few more days to share recipes with you.
I wrote about Ina Garten's Outrageous Brownies yesterday, and today I want to share one last recipe, suggested by Al Dente reader b, for Ania Catalano's Amazing Black Bean Brownies. Stay tuned for the Finale, which I'm promising, will be tomorrow!
Several people have asked about a "healthier" brownie, and these black bean brownies are it. For those who are dairy-sensitive or gluten-intolerant, this recipe is for you. For those who need to watch their sugar intake, this recipe uses agave nectar which is lower on the glycemic index than other sweeteners. If you've been forced to change your diet as a result of any of these medical conditions, you'll be indebted to Catalano and her book Baking with Agave Nectar.
The Amazing Black Bean Brownies
Ingredients:
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1 cup unsalted butter or non-hydrogenated butter substitute
2 cups soft-cooked black beans, drained well
1 cup walnuts
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup natural coffee substitute (or instant coffee, for gluten-sensitive)
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
4 large eggs
1-1/2 cups light agave nectar
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line an 11-by-18-inch baking pan with parchment paper and lightly oil with canola oil spray.
2. Melt the chocolate and butter in a glass bowl in the microwave for 1-1/2 to 2 minutes on high. Stir with a spoon to melt the chocolate completely. Place the beans, 1/2 cup of the walnuts, the vanilla extract, and a couple of spoonfuls of the melted chocolate mixture into the bowl of a food processor. Blend about 2 minutes, or until smooth. The batter should be thick and the beans smooth. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, mix together the remaining 1/2 cup walnuts, remaining melted chocolate mixture, coffee substitute, and salt. Mix well and set aside.
4. In a separate bowl, with an electric mixer beat the eggs until light and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the agave nectar and beat well. Set aside.
5. Add the bean/chocolate mixture to the coffee/chocolate mixture. Stir until blended well. Add the egg mixture, reserving about 1/2 cup. Mix well. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Using an electric mixer, beat the remaining 1/2 cup egg mixture until light and fluffy. Drizzle over the brownie batter. Use a wooden toothpick to pull the egg mixture through the batter, creating a marbled effect. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the brownies are set. Let cool in the pan completely before cutting into squares. (They will be soft until refrigerated.)
Catalano's notes: Brownies will slice much better if refrigerated several hours or overnight.
Makes 45 (2-inch) brownies.
Baking with Agave Nectar, Ania Catalano, Celestial Arts, 2008
--Tracy Schneider
Tableware on September 07, 2009 at 06:16 AM
Thanx for the recipe. Will definitely try it out this coming weekend :)
ssmith on September 07, 2009 at 02:42 PM
A little confused about instruction #5 in the Blk Bean Brownie Rec.
ref. mix well 1/2Cup. 1/2 C of each mixture or 1/2 cup total? Pls. advise. Thx :>)
Tracy Schneider on September 07, 2009 at 07:12 PM
Thanks, ssmith. It appears that a line was missing. I've added it in, and hopefully all will become clear. Let me know.
I took some shortcuts in this recipe. One was NOT drizzling that extra 1/2 cup egg mixture over the brownie batter. To keep it simple, I just included it in the batter itself. I don't think it changed the consistency of the brownies.
But I regret that I didn't line the pan with parchment, as directed. Over the course of the bake-off, I've often skipped the parchment with no problems. But in this case, even after refrigerating the brownies overnight, they were a challenge to remove from the pan. Don't make my mistake!
ssmith on September 08, 2009 at 05:54 PM
Thanks, Tracy, you're the best. Love your blog, devoted reader & big brownie fan. Keep up the great work, love & respect, ss
dvd-rw on September 19, 2009 at 05:51 AM
Yummyyyyy!!!! I love Brownies.. Hey Tracy Schneider you share here such a fantastic recipe overhere, obviously i'll try this & let you know about the taste. I hope taste would be yummy because it looks amazing..
sharm el sheikh holidays on October 10, 2009 at 06:00 AM
Oh wow!! This looks soo good. I would make the cupcakes with the Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate cake recipe and then use the other recipes you provided. Thanks!!!!