A couple of weeks ago I shared my favourite brownie recipe which I maintain does not need improving.

I’m hardly one to skimp on the butter or less proudly, sugar. But, yeah, I’ve been reading about sugar and realizing it’s kinda sketchy* so I’m checking out recipes that have less.

That awesome bulk order I can’t stop talking about also included a case of black beans. Cocoa and black beans? I recalled a recipe somewhere for black bean brownies and thought I’d experiment with a healthier version of this yummo dessert.

These brownies win points for being so quick to throw together (using a food processor) and for being beautifully silky and chocolately. They are also gluten-free and cut the sugar way back.

While they weren’t the chewy brownies I’m used to they certainly exceeded my expectations. The flavour was great – no hint of bean once they were baked. They didn’t hold together as well as I’d hoped but they were so nearly guilt-free that I didn’t mind.

There was no coup d’etat, my classic brownie recipe remains undefeated (I don’t call them World’s Best for nothing) but I will be making these again.

*I’ve long tried to pretend sugar isn’t so bad as a justification for my love of baking and sweet treats and baking sweet treats. But yeah, it’s not doing me any favours. Search sugar on Weston A. Price and it gets depressing.

Black Bean Brownies
original recipe here

1 19 oz (540 mL) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup cocoa
2 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Add all the ingredients, minus the chocolate chips, into the bowl of a food processor and blend until smooth. Blend one more time…no rogue beans on my watch. Pour the mixture into a buttered square cake pan. Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the top. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the brownies are firm and no longer goopy in the middle.

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Do you have a crunchy-granola version of a favourite dessert? Please do share! 

When our organic foods order came in for sorting last weekend my big bin of cocoa brought forth visions of brownies. I simply could not resist them.

The lovely Irina asked if there might be a recipe and it was just the prompt I needed to make a batch to share with you here. Oh how my waistline would thank me if I was sharing more than just the recipe.

This favourite dessert is based on the America’s Test Kitchen Classic Brownie recipe with a few twists of my own. They are moist, chewy, and rich, with a crispy top and fudgey centre. Seriously perfect indulgence.

They are great fresh from the oven or a day later. They are perfect for holding a birthday candle; or eaten in secret with a glass of milk while the kids do math. For an absolutely decadent treat they are glorious topped with vanilla bean ice cream and drizzled with caramel. But I’m sure you can find your own perfect way to enjoy them.

I won’t say they are the world’s best. But they come pretty darn close in my opinion.

world’s best brownies or something like that 

1 1/4 cup unbleached flour

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 tsp baking powder

1 cup + 2 tbsp unsalted butter

1 cup + 2 tbsp cocoa

50 grams dark chocolate (70% cocoa or more), chopped

2 cups sugar

4 large eggs

1 – 2 tbsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325° F.

Butter a 9×11″ pan and line with parchment paper. Then butter and lightly flour the parchment.

In a small bowl combine flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.

Place 2 inches of water in a pot to simmer over low heat. Place a bowl over the simmering water and in this melt the butter, cocoa, and chocolate. When melted and smooth remove the bowl from the heat and gradually stir in sugar. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla. Fold in the flour mixture, in three sections, using a spatula or wooden spoon.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and spread smooth.

Bake for 40-45 minutes. Allow to cool for 15-20 minutes before cutting and enjoying. Store any extras in an airtight container.

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And just so I we don’t feel too guilty about these chocolatey gems, I have a much more diet friendly version to share coming up soon! And I’m sorry friends, but they are not as good as these. Good but not as good.

As I mentioned earlier in the week, we had a super fun day of cookie baking and overindulgence this week. I’m happy we’ve had visitors popping in this week to share in our cookie bounty but we still have had plenty to enjoy on our own.

When it comes to cookies I prefer mine chock full of oats, chocolate, and nuts. The kiddos aren’t too choosy but they do love the treat of sugar cookies. In this house sugar cookies mean cookie cutters and royal icing, cut and decorated by kids.

For her birthday last December, Amalia traded her gingerbread-making party for a visit to the chocolate factory. We missed (as did a couple of small friends) the messy cookie tradition we’d established. Easter seemed like the perfect excuse to gather sugar, flour, and friends for a sweet morning.

Sugar Cookies

recipe from Alton Brown

3 cups unbleached flour

3/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 egg, beaten

1 tbsp milk

In a small bowl sift together powder, flour, and salt. In a mixer with paddle attachment ,or in a bowl using a wooden spoon, cream butter and sugar until light in colour. Beat in egg and milk to combine. Gradually add flour mixture and mix until the dough begins to hold together. Divide the dough in half, wrap in wax paper, and refrigerate for two hours. *

Preheat over to 375° F.

Dust your rolling surface with icing sugar and roll dough to a 1/4″ thickness. Cut into shapes using cookie cutters or the top of a glass. Spread cut cookies on a parchment covered baking sheet. Bake for 7-9 minutes until beginning to brown.

*When I’m preparing dough for a crowd of cookie-cutting children I prepare a double batch at a time (so as not to overdo it with my mixer). Once the dough is mixed I divide each double batch into six pieces. I roll each piece into a large round between two sheets of wax paper or parchment. I stack the rounds onto a baking sheet and refrigerate from one hour to overnight. If I’m really pressed for time, I’ll just pop them in the freezer for 20 minutes or so. After removing from the fridge the rounds may be stuck together, carefully peel them apart, and the dough is ready to be cut into shapes! 

Royal Icing

from Wilton

To be honest, I don’t prefer the flavour of royal icing, made from scratch or otherwise, but for decorating cookies (especially with eager children) it sets up nice and quickly. I haven’t found anything quite as user friendly.

3 tbsp meringue powder

6 tsbp water

4 cups icing sugar

Beat with a mixer until peaks form. A little extra water can be added if it hardens too quickly.

For this endeavour I separated the icing into four bowls and mixed a few drops of food colouring into each. Then I scooped the icing from each bowl into a small baggie, fastened the bag tightly with a clip and snipped off the very corner of the bag for a makeshift piping bag.

Decorate your heart out and call it art class. 

Although, if like me, you would rather enjoy your cookies without adornment, they are most delicious with a cold glass of milk or a hot cup of tea. I’ve tried both. Just so you know.

They are also welcome at the end of a long morning of school, which has become a long afternoon of school.

Just the thing

Shortly after Mira was born some lovely friends threw us a baby shower. It was such a thoughtful idea (by number six some of the baby items are looking very tired) and very much fun. I felt so honoured by the friendship these beautiful women have shown me. I was awed by the blessings they showered over us.

But before I get too soggy eyed, all this is to say that along with the great conversation, good food, and generous gifts there was a token game. And it was pretty hilarious. It involved melted chocolate bars and diapers. We had to guess which name brand chocolate bar was melted into each diaper, and it managed to turn a room full of woman into five year olds.

It came down to a tie breaker between myself and a friend who also has a houseful; I thought this was suiting as we had changed the most diapers out of the bunch. I don’t eat many name brand chocolate bars these days but I didn’t have any trouble guessing the last one. One peek at the mess of coconut flecked chocolate clumped in the bottom of that diaper and I knew. One whiff and I was tempted to nab a taste. But, no, I resisted and named the bar. The game ended in a tie as the other mama also guessed correctly but I received the extra special prize of bringing the unmelted half of the bar home for later. My special treat.

These macaroons are reminiscent of that bar. Reminiscent but so much better. With or without chocolate – I still haven’t decided which I prefer – they are a perfect sweet bite (or, too often in my case, bites). Chock full of coconut; chewy but not too dry; moist but not soggy. They were the perfect answer for the egg whites I’d frozen after my pudding affair. They were quick enough to throw together after dinner in the mad crazy time before bed. My only complaint is how quickly they disappear – we’d nearly polished off this last batch before I snagged a photo of them.

Oh and the hubby who is iffy about chocolate pudding is also iffy on coconut…But these babies were tossed back with nary a hint of disapproval. That’s a big win in my book.

‘Better than the Real Thing’ Coconut Macaroons

These are the perfect accompaniment to my chocolate pudding recipe – 4 egg whites here and 4 yolks there. I find egg whites freeze very well. If you have leftover egg whites after making ice cream or custard but don’t have the time to whip up some macaroons they can be frozen in a mason jar or zip-top bag until needed. Just thaw in the fridge when you are ready to use them.

4 egg whites

1/4 cup flour

1 cup sugar

1 tbsp honey

1/4 tsp salt

2 1/2 cups unsweetened, shredded coconut

high quality chocolate, melted, if desired

Add all ingredients to a skillet and mix with a wooden spoon or spatula. Heat over medium heat for 10 minutes or so – until the mixture begins to brown in certain spots (do not wait for the entire mixture to brown*). Remove the mixture to a bowl to cool.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Once the mixture is cool to the touch roll into 1 inch balls, and place on a parchment covered baking sheet. I find rubbing a little coconut oil over the palms of my hands makes this step less messy. Pop the macaroons into the oven for 15-20 minutes until the are evenly browned.

For added decadence drizzle or dip into melted chocolate. Or don’t. They’re amazing either way.

*I’ve gone too far waiting for browning and ended up with macaroons that were, while still delicious, a little hard on the tooth.

Such a quick and delicious treat!