I may be a secret-keeper for my friends, but not for brownies. Not that I don’t love them dearly – I do! I simply hold you in higher regard. So what’s the secret behind this irresistible texture, the moistness and healthiness?
Aha, but not yet. Let me first entice you with a bit more description. These brownies are fudgy, dense, and rich. Temptingly dark, with their sumptuously crackly coating of chocolate, you won’t be able to stop at one.
Have I convinced you they’re worth making yet? Good. It’s time to reveal . . . kidney beans! No, not black beans as you commonly see in healthy brownies these days. Black beans are a nuisance to find and, in my experience, more expensive than the others.
Nevertheless, these don’t taste bean-y at all. I’m serious! You just get a hidden dose of fibre and protein. My father had absolutely no idea – until I maliciously revealed the fact after he’d already eaten two. Can you blame me? People are always put off by weird ingredients, so they’re best kept secret until people declare their undying love.
This recipe can be gluten-free, nut-free, and dairy-free.
Makes 10 morsels of beauty
Preparation time: 30 minutes (plus refrigeration)
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
– 1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed well
– 4 Tablespoons coconut oil
– 2 eggs
– 1/2 cup cocoa powder
– 1/2 teaspoon coffee powder (I used decaf)
– 3 Tablespoons coconut flour
– 2 teaspoons baking powder
– pinch sea salt
– 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
– 4-5 Tablespoons dextrose, to taste
– 3 Tablespoons cocoa powder, extra
– 3 Tablespoons coconut oil, melted, extra
– dextrose to taste, extra
Method:
1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Line a loaf tin with baking paper.
2. Place your kidney beans in a food processor and blitz until smooth. Add the coconut oil and eggs, processing to combine. Tip in the cocoa, coffee, coconut flour, baking powder, salt, vanilla, and dextrose, and process until completely smooth.
3. Spread into the baking tin. Bake for 20 minutes, or until an inserted skewer emerges almost clean. Let cool for 10 minutes in the tin, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
4. Mix together the extra cocoa powder and coconut oil with dextrose to your liking. Slice the brownie into 10 pieces and dip each in the chocolate. Re-use your baking paper to line a plate onto which you can place the brownies.
5. Leave the coating to set in the fridge (you can freeze the extra chocolate mixture to chop into chips or fill chocolate moulds). Enjoy! 🙂
