Every once in awhile a low fat brownie idea works – and yum, this one came out well. I have been playing with using unsweetened applesauce in baked goods and chocolate covers the apple flavor well. Be sure to use unsweetened and not one with extra spices added (though cinnamon flavor works well in spice cakes!).
You can substitute applesauce in place of oil in most cake, quick bread or muffin recipes, just use the same amount applesauce for oil, butter or shortening called for. You may end having to bake the item a little longer. Start checking when your recipe tells you to and if needed keep checking back every 5 minutes till done. Make sure to note how long it took so you don’t forget for the next time!
You can also use baby prunes as well for oil (and as well you can find a fat substitute in the baking aisle made of prunes).
Low Fat Fudgy Brownies
Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
4 egg whites (or 1/4 cup egg substitute)
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup good quality cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp kosher salt
Directions:
Heat your oven to 350*. Spray a 8×8″ glass baking pan with pan spray lightly.
In a large mixing bowl combine the sugar, applesauce, vanilla and eggs together. Meanwhile in a small bowl combine the dry ingredients. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet till well combined. Pour into the pan.
Bake for 25 minutes and check with a toothpick in the center. The toothpick should come out clean (no wet batter). If not done, keep checking every 5 minutes. My batch took 35 minutes, though I cooked mine using the convection oven setting.
Let cool a bit, then cut into 9 squares.
Serves…..uh…..as many as you want 😉
-Photos by Kirk Kirkconnell.
~Sarah