bestselling tofu brownies - with no oil!
i used to work at a health food store that did some bakery and deli stuff. one of the recipes they developed was this brownie recipe, which was so good we were able to sell biggish ones at $2 a pop (canadian). i myself spent way too much money on the things before i finally got at the recipe (i eventually took over the baking at the store, before it folded because the new owners didn't understand health food and decided to lease the space to a restaurant franchise).
now, the store is long since out of business and i live a thousand miles away, but i have this recipe to remember them by.
i like that the only fat in them is that from the cocoa powder, tofu and soymilk, and chocolate chips - and you can use low-fat versions of everything but the chocolate chips if you really want to make a lean brownie that isn't dry or boring.
combine
1 1/2 c. pitted prunes
1 c. water
microwave 3 min. if you're squeamish about microwaving your food, just bring the prunes to a boil and simmer 10 min. or so. you're not going to get stewed prunes out of this, just slightly softened prunes.
toss them in a good blender (it's going to get really full, so you need good blend power, or resign yourself to blending in batches) or a nice roomy food processor. when they're pureed, add
1 pkg (12oz) silken tofu
2 cups soymilk (or more water, and add soymilk pwdr to your dry ingredients)
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp vanilla (more is better than less)
and blend, scrape the sides, and blend some more until everything's really good and whizzed up.
dry ingredients: in a big bowl
2 cups flour (we originally used spelt flour, but any good baking flour should work)
2 cups turbinado sugar (i just use plain organic sugar, and substitute in some rapadura or sucanat, when i make this for myself)
2 cups cocoa powder (you can get away with a little less if you use good cocoa... the recipe was designed with the cheapest crappiest cocoa you can get in a bulk food store, to cut costs, and it's not as flavorful as, say, cocoa camino)
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup soymilk powder (if you didn't use soymilk in the dry ingredients)
dump and scrape your blender out into the dry ingredients (or, be really fancy and dirty another bowl... dump your blender out into that bowl and then add the dry ingredients), and mix just until everything's blended (make sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl if you're adding wet ingredients to dry). pour into a 12"x17"x1" (at least) cookie sheet, and bake at 350F for 20-25 mins or until toothpick comes out clean.
while they're still warm, frost them. i use the following recipe, because it's nice and simple.
blend 3/4 c. silken tofu with 1 tbsp of maple syrup
place in a saucepan over low heat or the top half of a double boiler. stir in 2 cups of vegan chocolate chips. stir over low heat until chips are totally melted and mixed in. remove from heat, add a drop or two of vanilla, and frost those brownies!
we usually cut them in 24 pieces, 6 x 4. these make nice big pieces. :)
enjoy!
now, the store is long since out of business and i live a thousand miles away, but i have this recipe to remember them by.
i like that the only fat in them is that from the cocoa powder, tofu and soymilk, and chocolate chips - and you can use low-fat versions of everything but the chocolate chips if you really want to make a lean brownie that isn't dry or boring.
combine
1 1/2 c. pitted prunes
1 c. water
microwave 3 min. if you're squeamish about microwaving your food, just bring the prunes to a boil and simmer 10 min. or so. you're not going to get stewed prunes out of this, just slightly softened prunes.
toss them in a good blender (it's going to get really full, so you need good blend power, or resign yourself to blending in batches) or a nice roomy food processor. when they're pureed, add
1 pkg (12oz) silken tofu
2 cups soymilk (or more water, and add soymilk pwdr to your dry ingredients)
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp vanilla (more is better than less)
and blend, scrape the sides, and blend some more until everything's really good and whizzed up.
dry ingredients: in a big bowl
2 cups flour (we originally used spelt flour, but any good baking flour should work)
2 cups turbinado sugar (i just use plain organic sugar, and substitute in some rapadura or sucanat, when i make this for myself)
2 cups cocoa powder (you can get away with a little less if you use good cocoa... the recipe was designed with the cheapest crappiest cocoa you can get in a bulk food store, to cut costs, and it's not as flavorful as, say, cocoa camino)
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup soymilk powder (if you didn't use soymilk in the dry ingredients)
dump and scrape your blender out into the dry ingredients (or, be really fancy and dirty another bowl... dump your blender out into that bowl and then add the dry ingredients), and mix just until everything's blended (make sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl if you're adding wet ingredients to dry). pour into a 12"x17"x1" (at least) cookie sheet, and bake at 350F for 20-25 mins or until toothpick comes out clean.
while they're still warm, frost them. i use the following recipe, because it's nice and simple.
blend 3/4 c. silken tofu with 1 tbsp of maple syrup
place in a saucepan over low heat or the top half of a double boiler. stir in 2 cups of vegan chocolate chips. stir over low heat until chips are totally melted and mixed in. remove from heat, add a drop or two of vanilla, and frost those brownies!
we usually cut them in 24 pieces, 6 x 4. these make nice big pieces. :)
enjoy!