In case you didn't see this in the comments to the last post:
Elena’s Black Bean Brownies
1 15oz. can black beans (drained and rinsed)
2 eggs
½ c unsweetened cocoa (preferably Hershey’s Dark Special)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch salt
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 cup sugar (1/2 cup more or less to taste)
½ package (12oz) milk or white chocolate chips (or both!)
Other items: (use your imagination)
Chopped nuts/walnuts
Toasted coconut
Butterscotch chips
Crushed peppermint sticks
Toffee bits
Mexican chocolate version: (pretty amazing)
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Milk chocolate chips
1. Mix / mash the beans with the eggs (I use a stick/immersion blender for this – works well to pulverize)
2. Blend in rest of ingredients, adding choc chips last and stirring those in.
3. For microwave: bake in greased pie pan 9 - 10 minutes power level 80% to 90%
4. Regular oven: 350 degrees 25 – 35 minutes depending on pan (usually greased 13 x 9)
5. Have also made these in mini muffin tins – grease them well or they fight back when you try to take them out
Notes:
• These are better baked in a regular oven, but my kids have had brownie ‘emergencies’ and had to have them right away so I have the microwave directions
• Can also make ‘Blondie’ versions - with white northern beans and use butterscotch chips with almond flavoring in addition to the vanilla
• I have been getting away from canned beans – soaking and cooking the dry ones. I think that tastes better – nuttier and less ‘metallic’. If you do this then use 1 3/4 cups cooked beans for each batch.
