I was skeptical. ย Sure… I’ve heard people talk about beans in brownies, but really!? ย Must we really put beans in our brownies? ย Isn’t that just like having a CNN news break right in the middle of Teen Mom 2? ย Kind of a bummer.
I was skeptical and I was dang wrong. ย Beans in brownies is totally not CNN! ย (When was the last time you typed ‘totally not CNN’?) Beans in brownies is a trick that knocks down the fat and boost up the protein (even if just slightly). ย Sea salt and big walnut chunks are also highly advised….so advised, that you may find yourself indulging at breakfast. ย Like I did. ย This very morning.
Three different kinds of chocolate make these brownies worth their salt.
Semi-sweet chocolate rounds, unsweetened chocolate chunks, and cocoa powder.
Black beans get pureed smooth and you’re well on your way to delicious brownies!
Just look at that. ย Not a black bean in sight… but they’re in there!
A 9-inch square pan is buttered, papered, buttered again, and floured. ย It may seem like a lot of work, but this trick is wonderfully helpful when it comes time to remove the brownies from the pan. ย Just lift the paper and ease ’em out!
Whole walnuts left over from the holidays. ย These beautiful nuts look like brains… I’m all about it. ย I leave the chunky and almost whole to top the brownies. ย A sprinkling of coarse sea salt is also ideal.
See the tiny specks of sea salt? ย That’s where delicious lives. ย Black beans disguised by chocolate and sugar, beauty indeed.
The nut-studded, dry and crackled top. ย These brownies are undeniably delicious. ย So good you’ll want to share them with friends and show off what you can do with beans.
I like to just slightly under-bake these brownies. ย Twenty five minutes is pretty golden, and if the center is still slightly moist, it will firm up and cook just a bit as it cools. ย Dry brownies are a mild tragedy.
Triple Chocolate Black Bean Brownie
makes 9-12 brownies
recipe from Martha Stewart’s Everyday Food
1/4 cup (half a stick) unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pan
3 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped (about 1/3 cup)
1/4 cup black beans, rinsed, drained, and pureed until smooth in a food processor
1 1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs plus 1 large egg white
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
walnut chunks and coarse sea salt for topping (optional)
Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F. ย Butter a 9-inch square baking pan and line with parchment paper, leaving 2-inches of overhang on all sides. ย Butter and flour the parchment paper as well.
Fill a medium sauce pan with 2 inches of water. ย Bring the water to a simmer. ย Place butter, semi-sweet, and unsweetened chocolate in the bowl. ย Place the bowl over simmering water and stir until chocolate and butter are melted and combined. ย Remove the bowl from the simmering saucepan (the bowl might be hot!).
Allow the melted chocolate mixture to cool for a few moments. ย Whisk in the eggs and white, one at a time, until mixture is glossy. Whisk in the sugar. ย Whisk in the bean puree and vanilla extract.
In a small bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and sea salt. ย Add the dry ingredients, all at once, to the chocolate mixture. ย Use a spatula and fold to incorporate. ย Once thoroughly combined, pour the batter into the prepared pan. ย Top with walnuts and sea salt, if using.
Bake brownies for 25-28 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out with just a few chocolate crumbs on it. ย The center may seem undercooked, but it will cook further as it cools. ย Brownies are better slightly underdone than overdone.
Let cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes. ย Use the overhanging parchment paper to remove the brownies from the pan and slice.
Cut brownies into 9 or 12 generous pieces. ย Store brownies, wrapped individually, at room temperature for up to 4 days. ย
174 Responses
what is the caloric count for these brownies?