Weight Watcher Brownies

An old-school Weight Watchers diet brownie from the days of Alba 77 chocolate shake powder, the secret-weapon ingredient that powered countless low-calorie 1980s desserts. The packets concentrate cocoa, milk solids, and sweetener into a flour-free brownie base, while applesauce handles all the moisture and binding work that butter and oil normally do.

No flour, no oil, no sugar. Just two eggs, a half cup of applesauce, cocoa, two packets of Alba mix, leavening, and artificial sweetener. The blender does all the work in 30 seconds.

The critical line in the directions is the last one: don’t overbake. Eighteen minutes is the upper limit. Past that point, the eggs set too firmly and the brownies turn rubbery instead of chewy. Pull them when the tops look just set and a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs.

Kitchen Tips

• Use unsweetened applesauce, not sweetened. The Alba mix and artificial sweetener already provide all the sugar; sweetened applesauce throws off the balance.
• Mini loaf pans, not a standard 8×8, give the right thickness for the small batch and shorten the bake time so the brownies stay moist.
• Cool fully in the pan before lifting out. Warm flourless brownies fall apart on the spatula.
• Dust with cocoa powder or a thin glaze of stevia-sweetened cocoa for a finished look.

Variations

• Stir in 2 tablespoons of mini chocolate chips before pouring for a richer brownie (adds a few calories).
• Swap applesauce for mashed banana for a banana-chocolate version.
• Use a teaspoon of espresso powder to deepen the chocolate flavor without changing the calorie count.