Black Bean Brownies

Don’t be afraid! I know me and my mom were when my sister told us she wanted to make black bean brownies. To a sugar addict like me, the thought of black beans in what should be rich, fudge-y and oozing with chocolate is quite frightening. Brownies aren’t supposed to be healthy, they need to be loaded with butter and sugar and chocolate morsels that melt in your mouth.

My sister decided she was going to prove us wrong, and that she did. She whipped up a quick batch of these babies and you would have no idea that they don’t have any butter but black beans instead. They were smooth and chocolatey and really moist. My mom, a brownie connoisseur, was looking for  a fudgier brownie but was still quite pleased with the results. Me on the other hand, I couldn’t stop myself from eating them. I ate them right when they came out of the oven and they were so warm and gooey, then I ate them when they cooled with a smear of peanut butter and actually preferred how they set up better when they cooled.

All Im trying to say here is that they are one of those recipes that no one would ever know they were full of black beans and definitely worth a try. I know I felt slightly less guilty licking the pan.

RECIPE

look at those gooey brownies! nom nom

and the chef herself. not only is she stealing the baking but she stole my camera and took some selfies

Vegan Chocolate Tofu Pie

Before you make some weird reaction to the fact that this Vegan Chocolate Pie has tofu in it, trust me and give this recipe a try.  This pie is so rich and creamy and chocolatey you would be surprised by how simple and quick this recipe really is. I embarrassingly ate half the pie, by myself, in one day. So just to warn you, this pie is highly addictive, but don’t let that stop you from quickly whipping one up.

I roughly followed Alton brown’s Mooless Chocolate Pie recipe but cut the recipe in half, used regular graham crackers, and omitted the coffee liquor.

Side Note:  I wanted to take a picture after every bite.. however you may notice the lack of pictures between the the last and second to last picture. I was too busy stuffing my face with pie to stop and take a picture. Its really not my fault, the pie was just too good.

 

 

Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Pillow Cookies

These cookies are so gooey and yummy! Chocolate and peanut butter has to be one of my favorite combinations and these cookies are perfect. The cookie is soft on the outside and the surprise peanut butter center melts in your mouth. My only regret was not putting more peanut butter dough in the center because I though I was going to run out.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Pillows

 this recipe

makes 2 dozen cookies

Chocolate dough:

1/2 cup canola oil

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

3 tablespoons non-dairy milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup unsweetened dutch processed cocoa powder

2 tablespoons black unsweetened cocoa or more dutch processed unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

Filling:

3/4 cup natural salted peanut butter, crunchy or creamy style

2/3 cup confectioner’s sugar

2 to 3 tablespoons soy creamer or non-dairy milk

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a large mixing bowl combine oil, sugar, maple syrup, non-dairy milk and vanilla extract and mix until smooth. Sift in flour, cocoa powder, black cocoa if using, baking soda and salt. Mix to form a moist dough.

Make the filling. In another mixing bowl beat together peanut butter, confectioner’s sugar, 2 tablespoons of soy creamer and vanilla extract to form a moist but firm dough. If peanut butter dough is too dry (as different natural peanut butters have different moisture content), stir in remaining tablespoon of non-dairy milk. If dough is too wet knead in a little extra powdered sugar.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line bakings sheet with parchment paper.

Shape the cookies. Create the centers of the cookies by rolling the peanut butter dough into 24 balls. Scoop a generous tablespoon of chocolate dough, flatten into a disc and place a peanut butter ball in the center. Fold the sides of the chocolate dough up and around the peanut butter center and roll the chocolate ball into an smooth ball between your palms. Place on a sheet of waxed paper and repeat with remaining doughs. If desired gently flatten cookies a little, but this is not necessary.

Place dough balls on lined baking sheets about 2 inches apart and bake for 10 minutes. Remove sheet from oven and let cookies for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack to complete cooling. Store cookies in tightly covered container. If desired warm cookies in a microwave for 10 to 12 seconds before serving.

Bruce-y Bogtrotter

I am sure that every person who has ever watched the movie Matilda has been both repulsed and enticed watching the scene with Bruce Bogtrotter and the chocolate cake. Since my family seems to be more enticed by the moistness and chocolate-y-ness of the giant cake rather then the shear disgust of the overall situation I have attempted the challenge and seemed to have fallen short.Though my cake looks like a decent chocolate cake I failed in capturing the gooey sticky feeling you get from watching the movie. So I am left with a somewhat delicious chocolate cake with yummy fudge frosting(I used shortening). I hope you will attempt the challenge sometime in the future succeed unlike moi.