Heavenly Vegan Black Bean Brownies

As far as I am concerned, even a healthy vegan diet must make room for some chocolate.  That’s not to say that I consume massive amounts of it.  A little bit can go a long way.  And, I figure, everyone needs a delectable dessert to whip up for birthday parties, family feasts and office potlucks.  I’ve worked on this recipe until it comes out perfectly every time, and these black bean brownies are a hit wherever I take them.  They are also gluten free – a nice bonus in case you are feeding someone who must restrict their gluten intake.

Packing a Nutritional Punch

I don’t normally think of desserts as highly nutritious.  But these brownies contains some very healthy ingredients.  The black beans are high in protein and full of fiber.  They also contain some omega-3 fatty acids, which help to promote heart health.  And both the beans and the cocoa deliver a nice antioxidant kick.

I’ve been tweaking this recipe with the objective of developing the healthiest treat possible — without sacrificing flavor or texture.  So I began by looking at a variety of black bean brownie recipes on the web.  Starting with the basics I found there, I began to experiment.  At first, the brownies refused to come out of the pan easily and would sometimes crumble when I picked them up.  Another initial problem was that the texture wasn’t right.  The coarser consistency of the brownies hinted at their black bean origins.

The other problem that I found in existing recipes for black bean brownies is that many of them contain refined oil and sugar.  I’ve managed to successfully replace the sugar and oil with dates and applesauce, which are whole foods (and therefore healthier) than refined products.

Creating the Right Texture

After some experimentation, I fixed the texture by ensuring that the black beans are cooked until they are buttery soft.  When using dried black beans, I soak them overnight and then cook them for a long time (or in a pressure cooker), with Kombu sea vegetable added to increase their digestibility.  If I’m short on time, I’ve discovered that it works fine to start with canned black beans, although I still dump them into a pot and simmer them for awhile to ensure that they are buttery soft.  And I am always careful to select a brand that’s been cooked without salt, because the addition of salt in the first stage of cooking will make them less easily digested.

Popping Them Out of the Pan

I solved the problem of removing the black bean brownies from the pan in two ways.  First, I started using Wilton Easy-Flex Silicon Muffin Pans.  That helped a lot but did not completely solve the problem.  So I added a quarter of a cup of oat flour.  Bingo!  Now the brownies pop right out of the pan, and they are still gluten free if that’s important to you.

Top Them Off with a Creamy Chocolate Ganache

I found the perfect finishing touch for these brownies. After they are cool, spread some creamy chocolate ganache on top of them — and you will have a delicious, lightly-sweet treat.

If You Want to Store Your Brownies…

It’s hard to believe that you won’t want to eat them all right away!  But maybe you are making the brownies for a future event.  So here’s how to freeze the chocolate-topped brownies so that they will look beautiful when you serve them:  place them in an airtight container and do not remove them from the container until it has been brought up to room temperature.  This will help prevent condensation from forming on the chocolate.  In fact, the more slowly you let the chocolate come to room temperature, the lower the chance of condensation forming. If you have the brownies in the freezer or refrigerator, and it’s 80 degrees out, it’s a good idea to let them warm up to room temperature while wrapped in a dish towel or some other insulating barrier; this will disperse the chill from the chocolate more slowly. In the event that condensation does form, you can gently wipe if off with a paper towel. And if the chocolate has turned dull in the freezer, just zap the brownies for a few seconds in the microwave and the chocolate will shine brightly again.

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Heavenly Vegan Black Bean Brownies

by: Leigh Scott

4.2 rating based on 5 ratings

• V
• VG
• GF
• DF

• Difficulty:Intermediate
• Prep Time:30 mins
• Cook Time:40 mins
• Serves:18
• Freezable:Yes

Nutrition per portion

Ingredients

• ~ 1 3/4 cups black beans, soaked and then cooked until buttery soft, without salt (or 1 15-oz. can, which I would open and cook some more so that they are much softer than straight out of the can)
• 2 flax or chia eggs (made by combining 2 Tbsp of finely ground flax or chia seeds with 6 Tbsp of water)
• 1 cup pitted organic dates. tightly packed
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder (sustainably farmed or Fair Trade)
• 1/4 cup oat flour
• 3 Tbsp unsweetened organic applesauce
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• ~ 1/4 to 1/2 cup water, as needed to achieve the right consistency
• ~ 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, dairy free (I use the mini chips)
• ~3/4 cup of soy, almond, or other alternative milk

Method

 

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease standard-sized muffin pans (although greasing is not needed if using the flexible silicon pans – which I highly recommend).
2. Drain the cooked black beans.  Be sure that they are cool before beginning to make the brownies.  Note that if you are using the canned black beans, the recipe yield may be slightly lower because some cans of beans might contain slightly less than 1 3/4 cups.
3. Prepare the flax or chia eggs by combining the flax or chia meal with water.  Stir and let stand for a few minutes to congeal.
4. Put the dates into a saucepan and cover them sparingly with water.  Boil the dates very briefly, until the peels begin to separate.  Take the pan off the heat and remove the peels and any pits that might still be inside the dates.
5. Add the black beans to a food processor and puree for a few minutes.  Add the flax or chia eggs, peeled dates, cocoa powder, oat flour, applesauce, and vanilla extract.  Blend thoroughly, gradually adding a few Tablespoons of water at a time to achieve the right consistency – thick but spoonable.
6. When the mixture has become very smooth, add the salt and baking powder and blend briefly to incorporate them.
7. Spoon the batter into a muffin pan and smooth the tops.
8. Bake for about 40 – 45 minutes, until the tops are dry and the edges have pulled away from the pan.
9. Let the brownies cool completely before removing them from the pan.
10. Prepare the chocolate topping:  Put the chocolate chips into a bowl, heat the alternative milk just until boiling, and then pour the milk over the chips. Cover the bowl without stirring the mixture and let it stand for 4 minutes, then whisk until smooth. Pass the topping through a strainer and then allow it to thicken at room temperature for about 20 to 30 minutes. (You can adjust the thickness if needed by adding an additional Tablespoon or two of milk.)
11. Spread the topping on the brownies. (If you have any of the topping left over, you can use it as a yummy dip for strawberries.)
12. Store the brownies in an airtight container.  Refrigerate or freeze them to keep them longer.  Here’s how to freeze the chocolate-topped brownies so that they will look beautiful when you serve them:  place them in an airtight container and do not remove them from the container until it has been brought up to room temperature.  This will help prevent condensation from forming on the chocolate.  In fact, the more slowly you let the chocolate come to room temperature, the lower the chance of condensation forming. If you have your brownies in the freezer or refrigerator, and it’s 80 degrees F in your house, it’s a good idea to let them warm up to room temperature while wrapped in a dish towel or some other insulating barrier; this will disperse the chill from the chocolate more slowly and will minimize condensation.  In the event that condensation does form, you can gently wipe it off with a paper towel.  And if the chocolate topping has turned dull in the freezer, just zap the brownies for a few seconds in the microwave and the chocolate will shine brightly again.