Black Bean Brownies

This is one of my favourite brownie recipes from the Hemsley Sisters. It is the perfect guilt-free dessert, as it is grain, gluten, and refined sugar-free and packed with protein and fibre-loving black beans.

Serves 12

Prep:

Cook:

Ingredients

500g of cooked black beans (drained weight) or two tins drained

230g unsalted butter or 230ml coconut oil at room temperature (plus extra for greasing)

4 eggs

85g unsweetened cacao powder

150 - 180 ml maple syrup

1 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract

1 tsp coffee extract or extra vanilla essence

130g chopped walnuts

Sea salt

Method

Step 1

Preheat the oven to fan 170/gas mark 5. Grease the inside of a 24x20cm china or glass baking dish. Rinse the black beans and leave to drain. Melt the butter/oil in a saucepan over gentle heat and set aside.

Step 2

Place the drained beans, eggs, cacao powder, 150ml of maple syrup, vanilla extract, and coffee extract, if using, into a food processor with a pinch of salt. Pulse a few times and then blend until smooth.

Step 3

Add the melted butter/oil very slowly while the machine is running so as not to cook the eggs. Taste the batter, adding more maple syrup if desired, then stir in most of the chopped walnuts, reserving a handful.

Step 4

Pour the brownie mixture into the prepared dish and gently tap the baking dish on a kitchen counter to even out the mixture. Sprinkle the remaining walnuts on top and bake for 40-45 minutes, until the brownie feels firm but springy and its surface is cracked.

Step 5

Leave to cook completely before cutting into squares. Refrigerating the brownies makes them wonderfully fudgy.

Source: Helmsley & Helmsley