iced carob brownies

More of a tea cake than a brownie, this not-too-sweet treat won me over. Maybe these are atypical adjectives to describe brownies, but to me these are just easy-going and comfy. They are simple, and they are not based on the c-h-o-c-o-l-a-t-e that's ever-present in the brunette variety of baked goodness (though it is that way for good reasons;)). These are made with carob, thus they taste like carob. One shall not be fooled by their chocolatey appearance. I also used substitutions to make them vegan, which may have altered the texture a bit. I used tofutti non-hydrogenated cream cheese in the icing, and it wasn't too pretty. It did come together alright, but there were definite white specks, and it donned a different taste. Thus they are slightly modified, from here! Carob away, darlings. 

1/2 cup melted earth balance (or butter)

1/4 cup carob powder

2 eggs (I replaced with 2tbsp ground flax seeds mixed with 6tbsp water)

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup water

1cup flour

1tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup dried currants or raisins

1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts

dash or two of cinnamon or allspice (optional)

preheat oven to 350 F and grease an 8x8in pan.

beat the melted butter, carob, eggs, sugar and vanilla in a medium bowl. then stir in the water. 

sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. stir into the first mixture, along with currants, walnuts and optional spice. mix just enough until everything is incorporated.

spread evenly into pan and bake for 20-25 min, or until toothpick comes out clean. cool completely. 

for the icing

1/4 cup carob powder

8oz cream cheese, softened (or a vegan substitute)

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

beat all ingredients until very smooth. spread on cooled brownies. I decorated with trader joe's "cocoa pearls." enjoy!

black bean brownies

Adapted from 101 cookbooks' recipe, via Ania Catalano. These are soft and dense, but the addition of black beans and no flour create a distinct texture- one that goes surprisingly well in these chocolate brownies. Close friend Shani was eager to try out the recipe, so we made them after she prepared the most delicious Korean meal. Perfect meals include perfect endings!

4 oz unsweetened chocolate

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

2 cups drained black beans

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 tbsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup instant coffee powder (we used cooled espresso instead)

1/4 tsp sea salt

4 eggs

1 1/2 cups light agave nectar (can sub equal parts honey)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease an 11-by-18-in baking pan or line with parchment paper and lightly grease.

Melt butter and chocolate in a glass bowl in the microwave(1 1/2- 2min on high) or very gently over the stove, stirring to complete the melting process. Place beans, 1/2 cup of the walnuts, vanilla extract, and a couple spoonfuls of the chocolate mixture into food processor. Blend about 2 minutes or until smooth, the batter will be thick but the beans should be smooth. The "magic bullet" did a fine job as a food processor.

In a large bowl, combine the melted chocolate mixture, remaining walnuts, coffee, and salt and mix together well.

In a separate bowl beat eggs until light and creamy, about one minute, Add agave nectar and beat well.

Add the bean mixture to the chocolate/ coffee mixture. Stir until blended well. Add the egg mixture, reserving about 1/2 cup (we skipped this step). Mix well and pour into prepared pan. Using an electric mixer, beat remaining 1/2 cup egg mixture until light and fluffy. drizzle over the brownie batter. Use a toothpick to pull the egg mixture through the batter, creating a marbled effect. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until the brownies are set. Let cool in the pan completely before cutting into squares. They will be very soft, and refrigeration is recommended.

Makes 45 (2-inch) brownies.