Low-fat Double Chocolate Brownies
Submitted by happyzhangbo
Low-fat double chocolate brownies that don’t taste like a compromise: unsweetened chocolate, cocoa, and chocolate chips with applesauce standing in for most of the butter. Rich, fudgy, and made with whole wheat flour.
YIELD
24 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
25 minREADY
1⅔ hrsLow-fat brownies usually mean dry and disappointing, but these dodge that trap with a clever swap: unsweetened applesauce replaces most of the butter, keeping them moist and fudgy with only a couple tablespoons of butter and a little oil.
They earn the ‘double chocolate' name honestly, with melted unsweetened chocolate and cocoa in the batter plus a handful of semisweet chips folded through for melty pockets.
Whole wheat pastry flour sneaks in extra fiber while staying tender enough that you’d never guess it isn’t all-purpose.
Beating the eggs and egg whites with the brown sugar gives the brownies a thin, crackly top, while the applesauce keeps the inside dense and moist.
Don’t overbake; pull them when the top just springs back, and they stay rich and chewy rather than cakey.
Pro Tips
- Mix the flour in just until incorporated; overmixing makes brownies tough.
- Pull them as soon as the top springs back lightly, around 22 to 25 minutes, for a fudgy center.
- Cool completely before cutting so they set into clean bars.
- Use good unsweetened chocolate and cocoa, since the flavor leans on them with less fat in the mix.
Variations
- Add a teaspoon of espresso powder to deepen the chocolate flavor.
- Swap walnuts for pecans, or leave the nuts out.
- Stir in a handful of dried cherries or a swirl of peanut butter.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Spray a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with cooking spray or grease with butter.
Melt chocolate and butter in a double boiler over barely simmering water. (Alternatively, place in a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave on Medium, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted and smooth.)
Add flour, cocoa and salt in a medium bowl, and whisk until well blended.
Beat egg whites, eggs and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer.
Add applesauce, oil and vanilla, beat until well mixed.
Add the chocolate-butter mixture, beat until well mixed.
Add the flour mixture and mix just until incorporated.
Stir in chocolate chips.
Transfer the batter into the prepared pan, spreading evenly.
Sprinkle with walnuts or pecans if desired.
Bake until the top springs back when touched lightly, 22 to 25 minutes.
Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool completely.
Dust with icing sugar if needed.
Cut into bars.
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