Gluten Free Brownies

I thought I was going to have to write this recipe off as a failure.  Yet, when I talked to my husband about it, I admitted that I didn't follow the recipe to the letter.  In fact, I added in things that I knew might prove to be a mistake.  How un-scientific of me to write off a recipe when it hasn't been tested properly!

I found this recipe on a cute little blog (http://barefeetinthekitchen.blogspot.com/2013/02/dark-chocolate-brownies-gluten-free-casein-free-recipe.html) and it was exactly what I had been looking for.  In my quest to find low-carb alternatives to tried and true favorites, I wanted a great gluten-free brownie recipe.  I had found a vegan brownie recipe, and although it proved tasty, it was also heavy on the wheat flour.  This recipe, on the other hand, uses almond and sorghum flour.  My first question was "What is sorghum flour?"  I didn't google it, but I did look at the Bob's Red Mill section of my grocery trying to find it.  They have a huge selection of GF (gluten-free) options, as well as many nut flours, but I could not find sorghum.  However, I was not fazed because I knew I could find an alternative.  My first thought was ground flax seed!  I have been using ground flax meal in smoothies and granola for a few weeks now, and since I heard it could be an egg-replacer (because it congeals when cooked), I thought it might be a good ingredient to hold the brownies together.  The recipe called for 1/2 cup almond meal and 1/2 cup sorghum flour, so I just substituted 1/2 cup flax meal for the sorghum.  I had no idea if this would work, but I was delusionally confident that the brownies would be delicious.  That was my first mistake.

My second mistake I'm not going to take full credit for because cooking times can be very inconsistent when baking.  The recipe might call for a certain temperature and time, but if your oven is on the cold (or hot) side, your temp and time will not be the same.  You must get to know your oven intimately in order to judge how long your baked goods will take.  This recipe said that these brownies need to be cooked for 30-35 minutes.  I know I have a good, hot oven, and most of my baked goods take less time than most.  I decided to set the timer for 25 minutes thinking that would give me enough time to catch the brownies before they overcooked.  Twenty-five minutes was, unfortunately, too long.  The brownies were not burnt, but the edges got very dark, and the overall consistency was dry.  I should have known better because this recipe only makes enough batter to fill a 9" cake pan half-way, which means it shouldn't take long to cook.

The consistency was also very chewy...which was due to the flax meal.  Although my spice/coffee grinder grinds the seeds very fine, flax seeds have a very thick outer shell which doesn't break down easily.  It just breaks down into smaller, chewy bits.  In small amounts, this is nothing to worry about...it just means your getting your daily dose of fiber.  But in large amounts, like these brownies, the flax meal was overly chewy and stuck in our teeth unpleasantly.

Initially, like I said, I wasn't sure this recipe would be something I would try again.  But despite the less pleasant texture, the flavor was actually really good.  I just wanted a softer, gooey brownie.  Last night, I was craving chocolate again, so I gave this recipe another shot.  Instead of adding so much flax meal, I concentrated on making nice, soft almond meal to make up most of the flour bulk.  I used my spice grinder to grind the almonds fine (though a food processor might also work) like the first time, but added in 3/4 cup almond meal to 1/4 cup flax meal.  I also cooked them for less time, about 15 minutes.

As I said, I made these last night.  As of 10am this morning, they were all gone.  They were that good.  I fixed my mistakes, and produced a thin, but soft, gooey, luscious brownie.

Would sorghum have produced a perfect brownie to begin with? Probably. But that's not what I'm about.  I like using what I have and seeing what new combinations can be made because you might discover something delectable!

T.E.A.'s Gluten Free Brownies
(adapted from Barefeet in the Kitchen)

1 cup dark chocolate chips (I use 60% chocolate)
1/2 cup coconut oil
3/4 cup almond meal (homemade by grinding whole, unsalted almonds into a fine meal)
1/4 cup flax meal (ground like the almonds)
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla

Equipment:

9" cake pan
spice/coffee grinder or food processor
double boiler or microwave

1. Heat oven to 350F.  Oil a 9" cake pan with non-stick spray.
2. In a heat-proof bowl, melt chocolate chips and coconut oil over a double boiler or in the microwave. (If using the microwave, heat 30 seconds at a time, and stir in between to make sure chocolate does not burn)

3.  Combine all dry ingredient in a medium bowl and stir to combine.

4. Mix eggs and vanilla. Pour egg and chocolate mixtures into dry mixture and mix thoroughly.

5. Pour batter into oiled cake pan and bake for about 15 mins or until a toothpick comes out clean.
6.  Cool and enjoy.  These are also good chilled in the fridge!

This was my first batch.  They look ok, but were dry and chewy.  My second batch is below....SO much better!

ENJOY! :)