Special Brownies




































Now, these may look like naughty treats, but look at the ingredients! No sugar, no flour, vegetables... well, black beans! These replace the flour, making these deliciously moist and wheat-free!

The recipe is inspired by this one: http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/amazing-black-bean-brownies-recipe.html but I've added LittlePod coffee extract and converted it all to grams etc.

Here you go!

Black Bean Brownies

Makes 30-ish

120g dark chocolate
150g butter
400g black beans (tinned, rinsed)
200g walnuts
1tsp LittlePod vanilla paste
40ml coffee extract
4 eggs
400g agave 



Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line an 11- by 18-inch (rimmed) baking pan with parchment paper and lightly oil with walnut oil.

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 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.

In a large bowl, mix together the remaining walnuts, remaining melted chocolate mixture, LittlePod coffee extract, and salt. Mix well and set aside.

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.

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.)

Best served with hot coffee. Enjoy! x