Flour Power: Not Your Usual Brownies, Plus Some Encouragement

True story: I've been working with alternatives to wheat flour for many years now. I do this to provide something a bit more nutritious for myself, as well as create options for friends and family who need to avoid grains, either out of desire or by necessity. I've made these coconut flour brownies in the past, and they're very good. And recently, I spotted this grain-free brownie recipe online, and definitely wanted to try it!

I already had almond flour on hand (you'll remember those grain-free/egg-free chocolate-chocolate chip cookies from last month), and just needed eggs and some chocolate hazelnut spread to pull the whole thing off. After all, with only three ingredients, how hard could it be??? Of course, when the day came and the time was right, I gathered my loot and reviewed the recipe, only to notice a few minor details:

* I had a little more than half the amount of chocolate hazelnut spread as called for, but no worries - I'd just make half a recipe in a smaller pan.
* I had, inexplicably, bought jumbo eggs.
* I remembered, also inexplicably, I had about a Tablespoon of coconut flour left rattling around in the pantry.

The first two anomalies gave me more liquid in proportion to the dry called for in the recipe, but the third gave me the ability to correct for it - not to mention, use it up without letting it go to waste! I was confident (and greedy) enough to proceed, and dumped my ingredients, plus a bit of salt for balance, into a bowl and began to stir:

The batter came together, I set it in the oven to bake, and you know what? It worked! Fudgy, gorgeous brownies - nutty, chocolatey, and divine. I was grateful I had some experience with these ingredients under my belt, and didn't need to scratch the project completely. So, even though I didn't really follow a recipe, or even develop a new one, I still wanted to encourage you with this thought: cooking and baking with alternate flours is like any other cooking and baking. Once you get to know the ingredients and how they behave, you will be able to adjust as needed if circumstances aren't going quite to plan. If being grain-free is something you'd like to explore for any reason, don't be afraid to do so. I've created a new tag here on the blog for "grain-free", so you can find those options quickly. As well, I wholeheartedly suggest browsing through some of my long-time favorite sites, including Elana's Pantry and Deliciously Organic - and, for more awesome treats like those brownies, The Big Man's World! Be open, be curious, and take full advantage of the resources available. Others have been generous in sharing their work so you can avoid disappointment in your own kitchen. And, most importantly, enjoy :-)

Notes: If you really want to make these exact brownies, here's what I did!

Grain-Free Brownies a la Oops

Ingredients:
13 oz. jar of chocolate hazelnut spread (you know the one, or an organic one!)
1/2 cup almond flour
1 Tablespoon coconut flour (alternately, increase the almond flour by two additional Tablespoons)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 jumbo eggs (large or extra-large will still be fine)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter an 8x8-inch baking pan and set aside. In a medium bowl, stir together all the ingredients until fully combined, being sure to scrape the bottom frequently to catch and incorporate any dry bits. Let stand for a few minutes to allow the flours to absorb the liquid. Scrape the batter into your prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the edges are dry and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with fudgy crumbs. Let cool for a while before trying to cut and serve (they will actually have more flavor the longer they are allowed to cool). Baked goods made with almond or coconut flour are more filling than their conventional counterparts - you may be pleasantly surprised by feeling satisfied after just one serving!

>o<

Upon Request: Chocolate-Mint Brownies

Sometimes people don't always think to ask for what they want—they're busy, they're tired, they forget. We all know how it is. But sometimes there's just something we really, REALLY want, and we'd really, REALLY like someone to make it for us. So when I received this request for a favorite recipe, with a reminder that I "haven't made it in years", I knew what I needed to do!

Chocolate-Mint Brownies

Base:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

Filling:
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons whole milk
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
Green food coloring (optional)

Topping:
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
6 Tablespoons butter


Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter a 9 x 13-inch pan and set aside.

Make the base: In a medium bowl, stir together flour, cocoa, salt and baking powder. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, then stir in eggs and vanilla until combined. Add flour mixture in two batches, mixing until incorporated, then scrape into prepared pan (batter will be thick). Spread out evenly to the edges, and bake 30-32 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely, then cover and refrigerate until fully chilled—at least two hours or overnight.

Make the filling: Cream together butter, powdered sugar, milk and peppermint extract until smooth. Tint filling light green, if desired. Spread evenly over chilled brownie base. Cover and chill again for at least one hour.

Make the topping: In a small pan over low heat, gently melt chocolate chips and butter together. Let cool for about 10-15 minutes, then carefully pour and spread evenly over the filling. Let cool completely on the counter, then cover and chill again until firm. Cut into squares and enjoy!

Notes: These do take some time and planning, and it is helpful to make the brownie base one day, then do the other two layers the next. For the filling, you can use two Tablespoons Creme de Menthe in place of the milk and peppermint extract. At two Tablespoons shy of a full pound of butter, and over four cups of sugar, these are definitely decadent—start with small servings!

>o<

Out of the Box: Homemade "Box" Brownies

Like many people, I prefer the ooey-gooey richness of box mix brownies to (oh, dear) homemade brownies. It's a true fact, and I can't deny it. The main difference, of course, is the use of oil instead of butter for the source of fat. However, box mixes generally have a whole host of other ingredients that we can all live without - so, with a little thought and a few minor calculations, I set out to re-engineer my family's original brownie recipe to something a bit more "boxy":

Homemade "Box" Brownies

Ingredients:
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup neutral-tasting oil (grapeseed, coconut, extra light olive or similar)
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter an 8x8-inch baking pan and set aside.

In a small bowl, mix flour, cocoa, salt and baking powder until combined. In a medium bowl, mix oil, sugar, eggs and vanilla until blended, then add dry ingredients all at once and stir util just about smooth (you may have a little lump or two, which is fine). Scrape batter into prepared pan and bake for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove and let cool to room temperature before serving.

Notes: These brownies have all the right stuff—crispy edges, crackly top, and a fudgy interior. For a higher yield, double the amounts listed above and bake in a 9x13-inch pan.

>o<