Presenting the perfect brownie, fudgy, dense, a little gooey and deeply chocolate. I still can't believe these are low in fat. After one taste, a student said there was a new star in heaven with my name on it. I don't know about that, but I do know the prune puree, which replaces most of the fat (and adds a healthy dose of fiber), makes this miracle of a brownie possible.
- Fran Costigan, from her book More Great Good Dairy-Free Desserts Naturally
Yield: one 9 x 9-inch pan (8 to 16 pieces)
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
- 1/2 cup unbleached white flour
- 2 tablespoons arrowroot
- 1 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa
- 1/4 cup dark whole cane sugar
- 1/4 cup light natural cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 3 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 cup maple syrup
- 1/3 cup prune puree
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup nondairy chocolate chips
- 1/3 cup walnus, toasted, cooled and coarsely chopped (optional)
1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Oil a 9 x 9-inch pan.
2. Place a wire mesh strainer over a medium bowl. Add the pastry flour, white flour, arrowroot, cocoa, cane sugars, baking soda, baking powder, and salt to the strainer. Tap the strainger against the palm of your hand to sift the ingredients into the bowl. Stir with a wire whisk to distribute the ingredients.
3. Whisk the oil, maple syrup, prune puree, water and vanilla in a separate bowl until no lumps of prune puree remain and the mixture is well blended. The batter will be thick. Pour into the dry ingredients and stir until smooth. Stir the chips and walnuts, if using, into the batter.
4. Spread the batter into the prepared pan evenly. Bake for 17 to 18 minutes, until the top looks dry and set, and the sides of the brownies have pulled away from the sides slightly. A tester inserted into the center will be coated with very moist cake, but the cake will not feel gummy. Do not over bake or the brownies will be dry. The brownies will firm as they cool and when they are chilled.
5. Place the pan on a rack and cool to room temperature. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate or freeze the brownies before cutting: cold brownies slice neatly.
Copyright 2007 © by Fran Costigan. All rights reserved.
