“Mmmm, I am craving a bean brownie”… That’s right, you’re right. It sounds more than weird. But that’s because you haven’t had a chance to try such a delicacy yet. With a pasty consistency, discreet aroma, and a light nutty taste, the black beans integrate into this brownie recipe without any problems, even with great success. Discover my proposal, and you will indeed be convinced of this.
Brownie first appeared in the United States. It was created by mistake when a chef added a significant quantity of melted chocolate to the dough of the cake he was preparing. Now Brownie is a dessert very well known and appreciated all over the world.
This bean brownie started as a real challenge because I wanted to create a healthier version, gluten-free and without added sugar. I took the job seriously, did a few tests, and had a bean brownie recipe without sugar and gluten in a few days (I admit, almost one week). I sweetened it with a ripe banana and maple syrup; instead of eggs, I used chia eggs and topped it with a nice hemp frosting to bring in some healthy fats. The big surprise was that the taste was not different from the classical version of Brownie with eggs, butter, and sugar.
Bean brownie with chocolate, black beans, and maple syrup will surely surprise your taste buds. Besides being unexpectedly tasty and nutritious, it is an excellent alternative to ordinary pastries and a safe option for those who avoid gluten.
Bean Brownie Bites with Hemp Seed Frosting
Necessary equipment:
- a food processor
- a medium mixing bowl
- a wooden spoon
- a muffin tin
Ingredients:
32 brownie bites
For brownies:
- 1 can of black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 ripe mashed banana
- 3/4 cups of pitted Medjool dates
- 3/4 cups of dark cocoa powder
- 2 chia eggs (2 tablespoons of the seeds with 5 tablespoons of water)
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened almond milk
- 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon of baking powder
- 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
- cooking spray coconut oil
For frosting:
- 1/4 cup of organic maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
- 1 cup of hemp seeds
- 3/4 cup of dark cocoa powder
- 3 tablespoons of unsweetened almond milk
- 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
Instructions:
To make the Brownie:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare a muffin tin.
- Add beans, mashed banana, and dates into a food processor and keep pulsing until well combined.
- Add in the cacao powder, chia eggs, almond milk, and vanilla extract. Pulse until the mixture turns smooth.
- Remove the bowl from the food processor and transfer the mixture to a medium bowl. Clean the food processor because you are going to use it again to make the hemp frosting.
- Add in the baking powder and dark chocolate chips. Use a wooden spoon and stir the mixture gently.
- Spray the muffin tin with cooking spray.
- Fill the muffin tin evenly with the batter.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. Use a toothpick to check if the brownie bites are cooked; place it in the middle of the Brownie – if it comes out clean, then the muffins are ready; if traces of dough remain on the toothpick, they need to stay in the oven for some more minutes.
To make the frosting:
- Add maple syrup, vanilla extract, and hemp seeds to the bottom of the food processor and pulse to combine until you get a creamy mixture.
- Add in the cocoa powder, almond milk, and sea salt. Keep pulsing carefully until you can no longer see cocoa powder in the mixture.
- Pulse once every 30 seconds so that the mixture will become fluffy and light.
- Once the brownies are done, remove them from the oven and leave them to cool for at least 10 minutes.
- Take the brownie bites out of the tin and drizzle them with the hemp seed frosting. Enjoy!
The best and healthiest Brownie, in the vegan version. Made from the best cocoa, this Brownie is a “must” for chocolate lovers!