Sometimes simple is best when it comes to dessert. This recipe fits that bill as it is a one-bowl chocolate treat and you most likely already have everything you need on hand in the pantry. My favorite as there is no planning ahead required. I’d describe these as moist and chewy like your favorite chocolate brownies but with a taste that is exactly like the best chocolate chip cookies on the planet (my Mom’s, fyi). They are dense and moist and cake-like. So basically they are brownies, except…well…they are blonde!
Ingredients:
1/2 cup finely ground almonds (if you don’t have these on hand or don’t feel like grinding your own, just add another 1/2 cup of flour- the ground almonds add a nutty, rich texture but it won’t make or break these babies!)
1 1/3 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup granulated sugar
4 tbsp. butter (I always, always use salted butter in my baking)
2 eggs
1/4 cup applesauce
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 chopped walnuts or any other nut that you like
Directions:
Measure your dry ingredients in a large bowl. Mix them around a little bit to combine, then add all the wet ingredients. Mix again until fully incourporated. Add the chocolate chips and nuts last and mix again until pieces are coated in batter.
In a lightly greased 8 x 8 pan, pour and spread batter to evenly meet all four corners.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until edges are slightly brown.
Let cool, cut into 16 pieces and serve.
I think I’ll need to double this recipe from now on. These were gone much faster than I’d have liked! You could easily add mashed bananas to these instead of applesauce, or substitute the ground almonds for any other flour- heck you could use all almond flour or whole wheat flour if you really wanted. You could even add flax seed or shredded coconut.
However you want to do it, they are undeniably awesome and definitely worth the ten minute effort in the kitchen. I promise. Now go forth friends- bake!
****
Another baked treat we enjoyed last weekend was this 30th birthday cake I made for a friend. Half chocolate, half vanilla- completely delicious.
Each color was piped on with a different tip and I love the texture that created. I think I’m going to make my own birthday cake like this but in all girly colors. Me? Girly? It’s true. Is it April yet?
😉
Leave a Reply