I was skeptical. Sure… I’ve heard people talk about beans in brownies, but really!? Must we really put beans in our brownies? Isn’t that just like having a CNN news break right in the middle of Teen Mom 2? Kind of a bummer.
I was skeptical and I was dang wrong. Beans in brownies is totally not CNN! (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). Sea salt and big walnut chunks are also highly advised….so advised, that you may find yourself indulging at breakfast. Like I did. 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. Not a black bean in sight… but they’re in there!
A 9-inch square pan is buttered, papered, buttered again, and floured. 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. Just lift the paper and ease ’em out!
Whole walnuts left over from the holidays. These beautiful nuts look like brains… I’m all about it. I leave the chunky and almost whole to top the brownies. A sprinkling of coarse sea salt is also ideal.
See the tiny specks of sea salt? That’s where delicious lives. Black beans disguised by chocolate and sugar, beauty indeed.
The nut-studded, dry and crackled top. These brownies are undeniably delicious. 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. 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. 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. Butter a 9-inch square baking pan and line with parchment paper, leaving 2-inches of overhang on all sides. Butter and flour the parchment paper as well.
Fill a medium sauce pan with 2 inches of water. Bring the water to a simmer. Place butter, semi-sweet, and unsweetened chocolate in the bowl. Place the bowl over simmering water and stir until chocolate and butter are melted and combined. Remove the bowl from the simmering saucepan (the bowl might be hot!).
Allow the melted chocolate mixture to cool for a few moments. Whisk in the eggs and white, one at a time, until mixture is glossy. Whisk in the sugar. Whisk in the bean puree and vanilla extract.
In a small bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and sea salt. Add the dry ingredients, all at once, to the chocolate mixture. Use a spatula and fold to incorporate. Once thoroughly combined, pour the batter into the prepared pan. 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. The center may seem undercooked, but it will cook further as it cools. Brownies are better slightly underdone than overdone.
Let cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Use the overhanging parchment paper to remove the brownies from the pan and slice.
Cut brownies into 9 or 12 generous pieces. Store brownies, wrapped individually, at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Katie@Cozydelicious
I have heard about these bean brownies too – but was alwaus unsure. Now I want to try them! Yum!
marisa
made these today, used white whole wheat flour and slivered almonds. turned out amazing. yum!
Dee Sewell
Really like the sound of trying beans in cakes and the pictures look scrumptious! Will definitely give this a go, thanks :)
lola23
Do you fart much after you eat these?
joythebaker
nope.
Laura
*snort*. I’m soo immature. But good question, in case my I eat these before a date! ;D
Heather
Love the post, and just wanted to say I was so excited to get my Food & Wine magazine yesterday. I was flipping through and was like “There’s Joy!” to my husband, like we’re the best of friends :) I don’t know you but I’m really proud of you :)
joythebaker
oooh thank you so much Heather! Food and Wine magazine is suuuper exciting to me!
Gabbie
I feel like a pretty major dissenter to wish there were more black beans in these… might have to try slightly upping those, and maybe making some flax “eggs” (I prefer to eat my eggs all poached and custardy, anyways. Mmm). Though these are starting to sound more and more like laxative brownies the more modifications I make in my head… crap. (Oh, dear. Seriously, no pun intended.)
Aimee @ Simple Bites
Holy awesome. Minus the nuts, these will be getting tucked into my Noah’s school lunches. Supermom of the year award? Me. Thanks, Joy!
Cristina
wow, amazing recipe, goes directly to my notebook!
Kendra Fletcher
Oooooooh, these just rose to the top of the “must bake” list ;)
Clare @ SweetnSimple
Mmmm interesting! I’d probably be a little skeptical too, to start with, but definitely interested to try! Anything with chocolate and walnuts, I’m totally there :)
Sara {Home is Where the Cookies Are}
Wow! These look great! I’m all about boosting protein and lowering fat. And I’m REALLY all about having these for breakfast!
Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar
This is such a lovely idea! Mmmm healthy brownies.
Alissa
Thank you!!! These sound and look amazing! I have a Black Bean Brownie recipe from Rocco, but it calls for a lot of odd ingredients that I don’t normally have on hand. This is a must make!
Mama Maria
AHHH-MAZING!