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Triple Chocolate Black Bean Brownies

January 6, 2012 by Joy the Baker 174 Comments

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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.

black bean brownies

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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!

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Just look at that.  Not a black bean in sight… but they’re in there!

black bean brownies

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!

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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.

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See the tiny specks of sea salt?  That’s where delicious lives.  Black beans disguised by chocolate and sugar, beauty indeed.

black bean brownies

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

Print this Recipe!

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.  

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Choclette

    January 19, 2012 at 10:02 am

    I’ve seen a few recipes for black bean brownies and I think it’s about time I tried them myself now. Where I get black beans from I don’t know, but I’ll give it a try.

    Reply
  2. kimberly

    January 17, 2012 at 4:13 pm

    i’m baking these right now, and my brownie mixture is a really dry dough, rather than a smooth, creamy, pourable brownie mix. wtf?

    Reply
  3. brilynn

    January 16, 2012 at 12:05 pm

    A friend of mine once made black bean brownies that were just terrible! She insisted I try one, her mom insisted I spit it out because it wasn’t fit for human consumption! It was hilarious…

    Reply
  4. Elizabeth

    January 15, 2012 at 10:17 pm

    Just published my blog post about these. Amazing, of course!

    Reply
  5. Jennie

    January 15, 2012 at 7:07 pm

    I just tried them and they are great! Fooled my boyfriend. A sprinkling of Maldon on top was definitely a good call!

    Reply
  6. Jillian@TheHumbleGourmet

    January 12, 2012 at 10:46 am

    There is just something about chocolate and sea salt together that makes me weak in the knees. Delish!

    Reply
  7. Katy

    January 11, 2012 at 6:09 pm

    Hi Joy! I love your blog, obviously. I’ve made these brownies twice and they came out yummy but pretty crumbly and slightly dry. Am I over mixing? Over baking? I do have an old temperamental oven too. Thanks!

    Reply
  8. Laura

    January 11, 2012 at 2:16 pm

    These look fun! I can’t wait to bake these.

    p.s. pureed garbonzo beans work great in chocolate chip cookie recipes

    Reply
  9. laura k

    January 9, 2012 at 1:19 pm

    I’ve always wondered about these, along with that recipe for tomato soup cake that you can find in almost any Junior League cookbook from the 60s. I recently vowed to try to the tomato soup cake, since I found out it was a favorite recipe of my Grandma’s. I might have to try these black bean brownies, too.

    Reply
  10. Kelsey @aslolife

    January 9, 2012 at 9:47 am

    Weird, but now I’m totally intrigued. Definitely going to try this the next time I make brownies!

    Reply
  11. Ottavia

    January 8, 2012 at 10:57 pm

    I just saw you in Food & Wine!!!!!!! I was with my Grandma and saw your picture and immediately screamed out “OH MY GOD IT’S JOY”. I was so excited, it felt like my best friend was in the magazine. You are so inspirational to me!

    Reply
    • joythebaker

      January 8, 2012 at 11:06 pm

      oh my gosh oh my gosh oh my gosh!!!! i haven’t even seen it yet!

      Reply
  12. Laurel @ Lolly's Sweet & Savory Treats

    January 8, 2012 at 8:40 pm

    I, too, have been a long time skeptic of the black bean brownies. I’ve never tried them, nor have I desired to stray from my beloved family recipe. However, if Joy the Baker gives her stamp of approval, they must be good. It’s time to give them a shot!

    Reply
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Trackbacks

  1. Recipe Round Up: Black Beans says:
    January 19, 2012 at 8:35 pm

    […] Triple Chocolate Black Bean Brownies […]

    Reply
  2. Friend Date Chronicles: Cooking Day | The Sixth Letter says:
    January 16, 2012 at 10:45 am

    […] stew from Vegetarian Times; a butternut squash cashew coconut curry from Sunset Magazine; and black bean brownies from Joy the […]

    Reply
  3. thursday’s awesome links 1.12.12 says:
    January 12, 2012 at 2:07 pm

    […] this dessert is a must-make. i bet is absolutely delicious! […]

    Reply

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