I am not a baker. But, I am baking a lot. Working on my experience for that cupcake shop I wanted to open when I was 12. Those who know me long enough remember my cupcake obsessed tween years… I still do not get why people like Georgetown cupcakes, but that is an argument for another day…
Anyways, I am trying to kill these two bags of Bob’s Red Mill coconut flour before their expiration (one is technically past due already, but it has not killed anyone yet.) My experiment with Ambitious Kitchen’s The Best Coconut Flour Chocolate Chunk Bars was victorious; my parents killed the damn thing in 12 hours. A great recipe for both dessert and morning coffee! I took my ‘butter is better’ take on the recipe, swapping butter for coconut oil. This, plus an additional bit of almond milk, made the bars more fluffy. Listen, all for ‘healthier’ fats and oils, but butter is the kiss of angels in a baked good to me. Also, local grass-fed butter is still nutritious in my book. Don’t forget a generous sprinkle of pecans on top for added crunch factor to get those blondie bar babies were signed, sealed, and digested in no time.
With more chocolate, more butter, and fewer keywords like ‘paleo,’ I concocted my ideal gluten-free brownie. These are dedicated to my dad, Big Ang, who wrestles every day with his identity crisis as a gluten-free Italian. There is nothing chocolate cannot heal!
Also, it is just fun to melt chocolate. It is even more fun when you taste it along the way to adjust bitterness, sweetness, and richness. Just look at that glossiness.
This recipe I highly recommend for coconut flour beginners. Coconut flour is a nutrient and naughty lady. It takes in all the moisture. It also takes a minute to mix if there are any clumps. You have to be gentle with it, and slowly incorporate it when the recipe calls for adding dry to wet ingredients.
Once you get all those lumpy lumps out, your brownies will have a smooth texture. And, do not panic if you do not have a perfect 8×8 square pan. Brownies do not rise much and will taste perfectly fine as long as the pan is not too long. Who wants thin brownies?? Yuck. For the sake of convenience, I used a tart (my square pan was in the dishwasher.)
Less talking, more baking! Please send me any and all of your comments, questions, and criticisms!!!
Big Ang Brownies
(inspired by Ambitious Kitchen’s The Best Coconut Flour Chocolate Chunk Bars)
Ingredients:
Dry:
- 3/4 cup coconut flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking flour
- nice pinch of Himalayan pink salt (or sea salt will do just fine!)
Wet:
- 3 eggs (make sure they are not straight-from-the-fridge ice cold)
- 1/4 cup of maple syrup*
- 1/4 cup of honey*
- 1/4 cup of butter
- 1/4 cup of plain milk of choice
Chocolate & Toppings:
- 2 oz of dark chocolate* (Use what you have on hand! I used the Endangered Species 88% Strong & Velvety Dark Chocolate)
- A big handful of dark chocolate chips, chunks, or a chopped up chocolate bar. Again, make use of what you already have!*
- Pecans or walnuts for topping (optional)
*The amount of sweetener you add should probably be adjusted by the type of chocolate you use. My choice was pretty dark. But, if you opt for, let’s say, 53% or 60% dark chocolate, then you may want to lighten your sweeteners (honey and/or maple syrup) a bit. I do suggest lightening it if your chocolate chips are semi-sweet. Also, the sweeteners are interchangeable. If you decide to use more or all maple syrup, it will alter the flavor of your finished product. Either way, all up to you!
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350F/180C. Grease a square 8×8 pan or circular tart pan with butter
- Measure and add all your dry ingredients to a small bowl. Then put away all those dry ingredient containers!!!
- Now its time to melt the chocolate. Fill a small double boiler/pot with water about two fingers up. Place over medium heat.
- Take a heat resistant glass or metal bowl that fits on the rim of the pot and rest it on top. Remember to grab a kitchen mitt or towel to hold the bowl and to get your spatula ready.
- Gently add a few pieces of chocolate and slowly stir. Start incorporating the butter into the mixture. Continue until all the chocolate and butter are melted into velvety goodness (this does not include the chocolate chips!) Taste to adjust for sweetness. Turn off heat and set the bowl aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk maple syrup, honey, eggs, and vanilla. Slowly add in the chocolate mixture. Then, add the milk.
- Now, carefully add in the dry mix little by little. Each time, make sure the flour is well blended with not a single baby coconut flour clump left behind! The batter will be thick, almost like basic cookie dough.
- Once all the dry ingredients are incorporated, add in the chocolate chips/chunks. Save some for topping, if you like!
- Pour (or more like ‘plop’) the batter into your pan. Smooth it out so that it is equal on all the sides, corners, and middles!!!
- Now it is time for your topping fiesta…
- Bake for around 23-25 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean in the center and the edges look crispy delicious.
- Eat this with a big ole scoop of ice cream, please.
