Reduced Fat Brownies
Submitted by Marci
Reduced fat brownies made with applesauce, cocoa powder, and melted unsweetened chocolate. Fudgy and rich with less oil, topped with toasted walnuts.
YIELD
24 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
15 minREADY
30 minThese brownies cut the fat way down without sacrificing that dense, fudgy chew you want. Applesauce replaces most of the butter, keeping the crumb moist while the combination of unsweetened chocolate and a generous hit of cocoa powder delivers deep, honest chocolate flavor.
The double chocolate approach is what saves these from tasting like diet food. Melted unsweetened chocolate gives body and richness, while cocoa powder adds intensity without any extra fat. Dark corn syrup and sugar keep the texture chewy and slightly sticky, closer to a fudge brownie than a cakey one.
Toasting the walnuts before sprinkling them on top makes a real difference. Eight to ten minutes in the oven brings out their oils and deepens their flavor, so even a small amount packs a punch.
Kitchen Tips
- Use cake flour, not all-purpose. The lower protein content keeps the brownies tender instead of tough
- Melt the chocolate gently over warm (not boiling) water or at half power in the microwave to avoid seizing
- Don’t overbake. Pull them when a tester comes out with just a few moist crumbs, not clean. They firm up as they cool
- Let them cool completely in the pan before cutting for clean edges
Variations
- Swap walnuts for pecans or leave them off entirely for a nut-free version
- Add a teaspoon of espresso powder to the batter to intensify the chocolate flavor
- Fold in a handful of mini chocolate chips for pockets of melty chocolate
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 350℉ (180℃).
Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Spread walnuts in a pie plate and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until fragrant.
Let cool and chop coarsely.
Melt chocolate in a small bowl over hot, not boiling water or in a microwave oven at medium at 50 percent power.
Set aside.
In a medium-sized bowl, stir together flour, cocoa and salt.
In a large bowl, whisk together egg whites and eggs.
Add sugar, corn syrup, applesauce, oil and vanilla.
Whisk in the chocolate.
Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until blended.
Pour into the prepared pan and sprinkle with walnuts.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let cool in the pan on a rack.
Cut into squares.
Comments
