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Brownies

Black Bean Mocha Brownies

Decadent fudgy Black Bean Mocha Brownies made with fibre and protein rich black beans. So moist and tasty, it’s hard to believe they are made with beans!
Course Dessert
Cuisine Canadian
Keyword Black Bean Brownies, Black Bean Mocha Brownies, Brownies
My Island Bistro Kitchen My Island Bistro Kitchen

Ingredients

For Brownies:

  • 1½ cups canned black beans, rinsed and drained (15 oz can) [no substitute]
  • 2 oz Medjool dates, coarsely chopped and lightly packed (apx. 1/3 cup, chopped)
  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 2 tbsp strong brewed coffee
  • 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
  • 1½ tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature, lightly fork beaten
  • 2/3 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
  • ½ cup superfine almond flour
  • ½ cup cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp ground flax

Chocolate Mocha Icing

For Icing:

  • 1 1/3 cups sifted icing sugar (aka powdered or confectioner’s sugar)
  • ¼ cup cocoa powder
  • 3 tbsp butter, room temperature
  • ½ tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 2 + tbsp strong brewed coffee*

Instructions

For Brownies:

  1. Position oven rack in center of oven and preheat oven to 350°F. Line 8”x8” baking pan with parchment paper or tinfoil, leaving a 2” overhang with which to lift and remove cooled brownie from pan for ease of cutting. Spray lined pan lightly with non-sticking cooking oil.
  2. Rinse and drain black beans well in a colander.
  3. In bowl, sift or sieve the almond flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt together. Stir in the ground flax. Set aside.
  4. Place black beans, dates, vegetable oil, coffee, maple syrup, and vanilla in food processor. Process until ingredients are well blended, stopping as necessary to scrape down sides of processor bowl to ensure ingredients are well combined. Mixture does not need to be super smooth but the beans do need to be broken down and blended with the other ingredients. Add the eggs and pulse processor to blend then add the brown sugar and pulse until mixed in with ingredients. Add the dry ingredients in two additions, processing until the dry ingredients are incorporated into the wet mixture, scraping the sides of the bowl with each addition and as necessary to ensure all ingredients are combined.
  5. Transfer batter to prepared pan and spread batter evenly with an offset spatula. Bake in pre-heated oven for approximately 30 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into center of brownies comes out clean and the brownie edges are starting to pull away from the sides of the pan. Transfer pan to wire cooling rack to cool completely.
  6. Using the parchment paper or tinfoil overhang, lift brownie from pan and transfer to cutting board. Peel away the parchment paper or tinfoil. If icing brownie, spread icing (recipe below) evenly over cooled brownie. Refrigerate for about 30-45 minutes to set icing then remove from refrigerator and cut brownie into squares of desired size. Store in airtight container in refrigerator for up to 3 days. For longer storage, freeze brownies in airtight freezer container.
  7. In lieu of icing, brownies may be served plain, dusted with icing sugar (aka powdered or confectioner’s sugar), or topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and drizzled with hot fudge, chocolate, or caramel sauce.

For Icing:

  1. Sift or sieve icing sugar and cocoa powder together into a bowl. Set aside.
  2. In bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat butter at medium speed. Reduce mixer speed to low and blend in the vanilla extract. Gradually add the sifted icing sugar and cocoa, about one-half cup at a time. Add the coffee, a couple of teaspoons at a time as the icing sugar and cocoa are being blended in with the butter. Increase speed to medium-low to blend ingredients then increase speed to high and beat an additional minute to ensure ingredients are well combined and icing is smooth. Additional coffee may be required to make icing of desired spreading consistency. If adding additional liquid, add by ½ teaspoon at a time. Icing should be of spreading consistency but not “soupy”.
  3. Spread on cooled brownies. Refrigerate for 30-45 minutes to allow icing to set before cutting brownies into desired size pieces.

Recipe Notes

Yield: 1 – 8” pan of brownies
*In lieu of coffee, water or milk may be substituted as the liquid for the icing.

[Copyright My Island Bistro Kitchen]