{Sweet Victory} Part 2 - The Great Brownie Trial

I have said before that I don't crave chocolate BUT my husband and mother do, so when Jesse came across a recipe for flourless brownies posted by the wife of Mark Gungor Show co-host Ross Allen Skorzewski, I decided to put my new starch and sugar-free baking skills to the test.

I find it amazing how much I've learned about an entirely new chemistry process with just a few recipes. The differences between almond flour and coconut flour have become very obvious and the modifications that can be made to each for texture have become a growing curiosity "what if I added this to that?!"

The three that you see above are all variations of this recipe from homemademommy.net.   The first recipe was the closest to the original with butter instead of coconut oil and 1/2 cup xylitol instead of coconut sugar.  Click here to read an article about rethinking the use of coconut sugar (aka coconut palm sugar, palm sugar or coconut syrup).

Recipe two had a bit of coconut flour and applesauce thrown in, but the WINNER with rich chocolate flavour, silky texture and just the right amount of fudgyness was recipe number three:

This recipe made a tiny loaf 2.5" x 5" or so but can easily be doubled or tripled.  I would also try to keep them less than an inch thick in whatever pan you choose for a true brownie feel (they don't rise very much at all).

Ingredients:

2 eggs

1/2 cup cocoa (I used Hershey's because that is what mom had on hand)

1/2 cup Xylitol

2 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoons almond flour***

1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350ºF

In a food processor or blender mix all the ingredients until velvety 

(I used my mom's new NINJA blender - a great buy for less than $100)

Line your baking pan with parchment paper (this is a must)

Pour into your baking dish and smooth the top of the batter.  How you leave the top will be the final result it does not smooth out while cooking.

Bake for 20-30 min and let cool COMPLETELY before cutting into them.

*** I cook with almond flour that I make, not almond MEAL which is what people are usually referring to in recipes.  I have not found almond FLOUR available to purchase anywhere yet.  Here are the directions to make almond milk and flour if you want to - don't worry its EASY!

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Now, there was a fourth batch I made.... I thought it would be good to give a completely different recipe a try to see the differences.  Initially we were NOT impressed, the brownie was dry and the texture was mealy. 

Then in an effort not to cut into the other three contestants yet and not see this brownie go to waste we put some sugar-free vanilla ice cream on top.  The sky parted and the angles sang!  This recipe is incredibly good with ice cream - somehow the texture morphs into the perfect flaky crunch.  So, it is worth making if you are specifically making it for an ice cream cake or the like.  Not worth making just to eat plain, in my humble opinion anyway.

Here is my version - again we made some basic substitutions.  (maybe it's brilliant without my substitutions - who knows!)

Ingredients:

2 eggs

1/4 cup coconut flour

1/4 cup cocoa

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/3 teaspoon baking powder

1/6 cup heavy (whipping) cream

2 tablespoons butter (melted)

1/3 cup xylitol

1 teaspoon vanilla.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Line baking dish with parchment paper.

Mix dry ingredients in mixing bowl.

Mix eggs and other wet ingredients in a blender until very smooth.

Whisk wet ingredients into dry until smooth, about 30 seconds.

Pour batter into your dish and smooth out the top.

Bake for 25 minutes or until a cake tester comes out with just a few crumbs. 

Cool for 10 minutes.

Let me know what you think!