Monday, November 29, 2010

Girl Meets Brownie, Part 6


As promised, it’s Week 6 of my brownie saga, and I have made a good pan of brownies! Everyone rejoice for a moment. When I started this, I had no idea that it would be so hard to make a decent pan of vegan brownies, as brownies are one of the simplest baked goods; one bowl, only a few ingredients, basic, and delicious. But, after five pans of really terrible brownies, I have managed to bake one delicious batch of brownies. The  real upside is that I successfully adapted a from scratch brownie recipe, without relying on a mix, putting me that much closer to the perfect brownie.

I want this week to be about celebration, but I should say that these brownies are not quite perfect. They have boundless promise, and they are completely delicious, but they are not yet the brownie in my mind. For one thing, my dream brownie is loaded with chocolate chips and walnuts, something I’ve been afraid to do for fear of dragging my brownies back to the bottom of the pan. These are also a little cakey for my taste, although the addition of chocolate chips would go a long way toward making these a little richer. But, to be positive, these brownies are light, chocolatey, moist, and so soft. It was a joy to finally take a pan of brownies out of the oven, and have them meet my expectations.

So, now that I have achieved a reasonably fantastic brownie recipe, I’m putting this project on the back burner for a little while. Christmas is not a time typically associated with brownies, but rather sugar cookies, toffee bars, and other delights. I am now embarking on a vegan Christmas cookie adventure, but I will return to my brownie quest. This recipe should tide you, and me, over for a while though.

1/2 cup non-dairy butter softened
5 tablespoons cocoa
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground flaxseed
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Heat oven to 350º. Prepare an 8” x 8” baking pan with butter or canola oil. Cream the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add the sugar and beat until fluffy. Add the cocoa and beat until fluffy.In a blender, whip the flax seed and water until frothy. Add to the butter mixture gradually, otherwise it will slosh in the bowl, and not mix together. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt, and mix thoroughly. Pour the batter into the pan, and spread evenly. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

1 comment:

  1. These sound great! I can't wait to try them. Do you have any other favorite vegan desserts?

    ReplyDelete