Midnight Brownies (Recipe)

My daughter and I made up a recipe for what we called “midnight brownies” because they were inevitably thrown together right before we were going to settle in to soak up an episode or two...or three...or four (I admit it) of a favorite show. When she was all grown up, there may or may not have been red wine involved (it goes so well with chocolate!). I have been gluten-free for several years now (ever since I tested positive for NCGS or “non-celiac gluten sensitivity”) and am always on the lookout for classic recipes to fill the gap that my old go-to’s have left behind. At last, here it is! I have not posted any recipes on this website yet, but this one definitely deserves to be the first.

I probably shouldn’t “rename” these brownies, but I couldn’t help it! They are almost the same ones I found on onelovelylife (a great resource for other recipes, BTW) but with even less sugar than the original recipe calls for (also see note on sugar below added in May 2018). These brownies require a love of deep, dark chocolate, and you can add nuts or whatever else you’d like (just adjust cooking time accordingly). In keeping with my quest to eat healthy food, I avoid sugar like the plague. This recipe uses very dark chocolate and has only ½ cup of coconut palm sugar, which takes the guilt out of eating it! If you are avoiding dairy you can use all coconut oil for the fat and skip any butter (I have made them both ways and they are equally delicious). But, alas, they will not stand up to omitting the eggs (if you find a way, please let me know). The final result is brownies that are fudgy, densely chocolate, lightly sweet and a little crumbly. They are just as good warm as cold. And, although not at all really needed, they positively sing when paired with vanilla ice cream (coconut milk ice cream is always a good choice)!

Midnight Brownies

Ingredients:
⅔ cup dark chocolate chips (I often use chocolate chips that contain no sugar)
5 tbsp fat (coconut oil, butter, ghee, avocado oil, vegan butter or a combo of any)
½ cup coconut sugar (see note below on sugar)
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
⅔ cup almond flour (or almond meal)
½ tsp either baking powder or baking soda
¼ tsp salt

To mix in: 1/2 to 2/3 cup additional chocolate chips (the one linked to here is sweetened with Stevia) or cacao nibs (I pretty much always do this), chopped nuts or shredded coconut

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350℉. Line an 8 x 8 inch pan with parchment paper and/or use a nonstick spray.
In a small saucepan, melt the chocolate chips and the fat over a lowish heat, stirring until smooth and glossy. Remove from the heat to cool slightly.
In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar (I use a hand mixer usually, because I find it easier but by hand works fine) until they pass the ribbon test: the mixture should stream down in “ribbons” when you lift up the beaters. This can take three to five minutes of beating!
In a separate small bowl, mix together the dry ingredients until well combined.
Working slowly, whisk the egg/sugar mixture into the chocolate/fat mixture. Whisk until smooth, then stir in the vanilla.
Stir in the dry ingredients and fold until just mixed.
Stir in any additions (chocolate chips, nuts, etc.)
Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the edges are set and the middle is ever-so-slightly undercooked (it will set as it cools).

Optional: Sprinkle the top with Maldon sea salt right after you take them out of the oven.

Note: It’s fairly easy to overcook these. If you have added extra chocolate chips, as I always do, a tester may still come out gooey. I find that if you stick to the guidance above about watching the edges and the center you won’t go wrong.

Note on Sugar: You can sub white, brown or maple sugar or a sugar substitute (which I am using more and more these days as I go as low carb as I can now). The original recipe calls for ⅔ cup which I think is way too sweet. My new favorite sweetener for baking is Lakanto (or monk fruit) because it seems to me to be the most natural of the bunch. I also use Swerve sweetener (which is a powdered erythritol product). Although many people love using erythritol, and it doesn't bother me, some people are not tolerant of it. So fir recipes I post I will probably be using the Lakanto.

Edie ChevalierFebruary 27, 2018gluten free dessert, awesome brownies, dark chocolate, low sugar, almond flour baking, dark chocolate chips, delicious brownies, gluten free brownies

Midnight Brownies (Recipe)

Midnight Brownies

To mix in: 1/2 to 2/3 cup additional chocolate chips (the one linked to here is sweetened with Stevia) or cacao nibs (I pretty much always do this), chopped nuts or shredded coconut

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350℉. Line an 8 x 8 inch pan with parchment paper and/or use a nonstick spray.

In a small saucepan, melt the chocolate chips and the fat over a lowish heat, stirring until smooth and glossy. Remove from the heat to cool slightly.

In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar (I use a hand mixer usually, because I find it easier but by hand works fine) until they pass the ribbon test: the mixture should stream down in “ribbons” when you lift up the beaters. This can take three to five minutes of beating!

In a separate small bowl, mix together the dry ingredients until well combined.

Working slowly, whisk the egg/sugar mixture into the chocolate/fat mixture. Whisk until smooth, then stir in the vanilla.

Stir in the dry ingredients and fold until just mixed.

Stir in any additions (chocolate chips, nuts, etc.)

Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the edges are set and the middle is ever-so-slightly undercooked (it will set as it cools).

Optional: Sprinkle the top with Maldon sea salt right after you take them out of the oven.

Note: It’s fairly easy to overcook these. If you have added extra chocolate chips, as I always do, a tester may still come out gooey. I find that if you stick to the guidance above about watching the edges and the center you won’t go wrong.