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Agave-Sweetened Brownie Gems

In order to get the same melty chocolate sensation that comes with the basic brownie without evaporated cane juice, I rely on a simple method of denting the agave brownies in the center and filling them with a puddle of rich, silky chocolate sauce (page 93). The sauce seeps out when bitten into and is so gratifying I wasn’t surprised when they began to move off the shelves faster than their sweeter counterpart. You can mix it up a bit by adding vanilla sauce to the center if there happens to be some, you know, lying around. Be sure to keep a special eye on the agave with this recipe. It’ll dictate whether you end up with a dry chocolate roll or a luscious fudgelike brownie.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    makes 36

Ingredients

1/2 cup garbanzo-fava bean flour
1/4 cup brown rice flour
1/4 cup potato starch
2 tablespoons arrowroot
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 baking soda
1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup coconut oil, plus more for the tins
1/3 cup agave nectar
1/2 cup homemade applesauce (page 78) or store-bought unsweetened applesauce
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup hot water or hot coffee
Chocolate sauce (page 93)

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly grease three 12-cup mini-muffin tins with oil.

    Step 2

    In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, potato starch, arrowroot, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, and salt. Add the 1/2 cup oil and the agave nectar, applesauce, vanilla, and hot water to the dry ingredients and stir until the batter is smooth.

    Step 3

    Using a melon baller, scoop the batter into each prepared mini-muffin cup. Bake the brownies on the center rack for 9 minutes, rotating the tins 180 degrees after 5 minutes. (For a more fudgy-tasting cake, bake for only 8 minutes total.) The finished brownies will have firm edges with a soft center, and a toothpick inserted in the center will come out clean.

    Step 4

    Let the brownies stand in the tins for 20 minutes, or until completely cool. While they are still in the tins, press your thumb into the center of each and fill the depression with 1 teaspoon chocolate sauce. To maintain freshness, leave the brownies in the muffin tins until ready to serve. Cover with plastic wrap and store at room temperature for up to 3 days.

From Babycakes by Erin McKenna, (C) 2009 Clarkson Potter
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