Vegan Chocolate Almond Brownie (Whole Wheat)

 

 

Brownie? Certainty not that Girl Scouts you are thinking, LOL. Chocolate brownie is a flat, baked square or bar developed in USA. How is brownie different from cake? Both are chocolaty and have spongy. The main difference is the ingredients used which affect the texture and taste. Brownie recipes do not call for baking powder like in cakes, it also uses less flour and more cocoa. Brownies are chewy and baked very flat and dense with a crackled top, whereas cakes are light and fluffy with a smooth and even top covered with frosting.

I have tried a few eggless brownie recipes but didn't get it right because baking with whole wheat flour is always more challenging, even in brownie which is supposed to be dense. This is really my best.. best whole wheat brownie experiment; dense, chocolaty and soft. It is cakey on the outside and fudgy in the middle!



Look at how perfect the shape & size of brownies are!

Almost all brownie recipes called for a specific pan size because variations can throw off baking times and affect texture. If the pan is too large, the brownies will come out thin, dry and hard. If the pan is too small, the batter will rise too high and result in brownies that are too cakey. But seriously, why would I want to buy so many different sizes of brownie pan just to make brownie? So I decided to get this 12-cavity brownie/bar pan with individual slots which is designed for even heating, and it guarantees perfect size and shape of brownies, and with any size of brownie recipes, I could use this! Oh yeah, not forgetting that I do not have to cut the brownie myself, phew. Click here to see how the pan looks like and where to buy.

 

Dietary: Vegetarian, Vegan.
Make About 9

Ingredients
DRY
 145g of whole wheat flour
 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
 2/3 tsp baking soda
 1/4 tsp baking powder
 -----
WET
 1/2 cup brown sugar
 1/2 tsp salt
 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
 3 Tbsp olive oil
 180ml water
 2 tsp apple cider vinegar or distilled white vinegar
 4 Tbsp applesauce or 1/4 cup over-ripe banana (mashed well)
-----
 1/4 cup chocolate chips
 1/4 cup chopped almonds or walnuts, divided

 

Methods

1. Sift dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.

 

2. Preheat oven to 175℃.

 

3. In another bowl, whisk all the wet ingredients together. Pour the wet into the dry ingredients bowl and mix well with a spatula. Lastly, gently fold in the chocolate chips and almonds until well combined.

 

4. Pour the batter into a prepared individual brownie pan, maximum 3/4 filled, sprinkle some chopped almonds on top, if desired.

 

5. Using a oven thermometer, ensure it is at the right temperature 175℃. Pop it into the oven for about 15-20 minutes or till the top looks cooked. Begin testing doneness shortly after 13 minutes. Insert a toothpick, if it comes out clean, it's done!

 

6. Remove individual brownie from pan and let rest on wire. Serve with hot coffee or tea, perfect tea break! 

Batter: max 3/4 filled

Aww... beautiful crackled top!

Tips

☼ The perfect moment of doneness is the first moment a toothpick inserted into the centre of the brownies comes out clean. Underbaked brownies tend to be wet in the center especially those in the middle of the pan, while overbaked brownies are likely to be dry and hard.