Bean flours create higher risen baked goods, but many of the flours create a bitter flavor. One way of getting around this is by using cooked beans. I prefer to use refried black beans. They’re so creamy and not bitter at all. The dark color is perfect for chocolate dishes such as this gluten free brownie recipe. It is dairy-free, gum-free, and grain-free, techinically, as buckwheat is a seed, not a grain. Some refer to buckwheat as pseudograin.
Enjoy this healthier style gluten free recipe as part of my January 2015 Healthy Gluten Free Diet Event.
A healthier choice to making gluten free brownies. They are lightly sweetened with agave yet rich in creaminess from the beans and oil. All made dairy-free, gum-free and grain-free. They're allergen-free if you omit the nuts.
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup agave syrup*
- 3 Tablespoons flax seed meal
- 15-oz. can gluten free refried black beans (La Preferida)
- 1/2 cup neutral-flavored cooking oil
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 2/3 cup gluten free cocoa powder (I used Dutch Process - Rodelle brand)
- 1/3 cup buckwheat flour (or sorghum flour, oat flour, all-purpose GF flour, etc.)
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup chopped walnuts (if no nut allergies)
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350ºF. Oil a a 12-cup muffin pan and set aside.
- Heat agave syrup in the microwave on high for about 40 seconds. Stir in the flax seed meal and allow to rest for 15 minutes. Pour into food processor.
- Add refried beans, oil, and vinegar; and pulse until completely combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the cocoa powder, buckwheat flour, baking soda, and salt; and add to the food processor. Then pulse until creamy.
- If using walnuts fold them in using a rubber or silicone spatula.
- Scoop into muffin tins, filling them about 3/4 way full. Bake on center shelf of oven for 23 - 25 minutes. You may notice cracks in their tops, but this is not an indication of being dry, nor done.
- Allow to cool in pan for about 10 minutes. Then carefully transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Tips
*Substitutes for 3/4 cup agave syrup are 1 cup sugar or 1/2 cup honey. When using honey, use your judgement on whether to add a little water or not. Thicknesses of honey varies.
I used honey instead of agave..and a few other changes/additions..they came out phenomenal!! Thanks!
I don’t have agave syrup .. what can I replace it with? Thank you/