I have been enjoying my Baking Fridays lately - and these decadent, peanut butter-packed brownies have definitely been a hit! They are a result of a few attempts at getting the right, slightly gooey consistency I like from my brownie - happy baking!
Sorry, this isn't my best photograph! I was too impatient to tuck into these bad boys to get my lighting and angle to a workable level. I must say, these were just as lovely cold after storing in the fridge, as there were still warm from the oven! This is a recipe I had to test a few times, as the first couple of attempts were too dry for my liking. This is also the first time I have attempted introducing avocado in my bakes, so it wasn't surprising that I needed a few trials to get the right consistency. The addition of avocado to the brownies, not only makes the bake a little healthier, but it also helps with a more moist texture! Thank you avocados!
Yields 1 square tin of brownies (8X8 inches)
Ingredients:
- 2 large eggs
- 1 large ripe avocado (you want one that you can easily mash)
- 3 tbsp of coconut oil (you can use butter or spread if you prefer)
- 72g of soft brown sugar (I find muscovado, also works)
- 85g of honey or maple syrup
- 65g of almond flour (or ground almonds, or plain flour)
- 70g of cocoa powder (I prefer mine unsweetened as I don't like my brownie too sweet)
- 2-3 tbsp of smooth peanut butter
- 70-80g of chocolate chips (you can use dark or milk, to your preference)
- 1 tsp of vanilla extract
- 1 tsp of baking soda
- a pinch of salt
Method:
Pre-heat the oven to 175 C (I used my oven with fan function).
Peal the avocado and remove the stone. Place in a bowl and, using a fork, mash the avocado thoroughly - you want to try and have no large lumps. Add the sugar, the syrup, the coconut oil, the eggs and the vanilla extract.
Using a blender at medium to high speed, combine the ingredients together whilst getting rid of any remaining lumps. You are aiming for a smooth consistency, so ensure you are checking the very bottom and sides of the bowl for any rogue lumps and deposits.
Add the remaining dry ingredients - flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Combine together well. Add the peanut butter to the batter and mix well, creating pockets or swirls - I find it a little easier to master the peanut butter if it is slightly warm as it will hold in lumps otherwise.
Add about half the quantity of chocolate chips to the batter and combine well. Line a baking tin with baking paper and pour the batter in. Make sure your batter is level - you can smack the tin on the counter a couple of times if you have air bubbles on the surface.
Add the remaining amount of chocolate chips on top and distribute evenly.
Bake in the oven for about 25 mins - as usual, different ovens will cook slightly differently, so you might need to hold out until 30 mins if it is a slower bake. The important thing is to not be scared of undercooking brownies - mine always look slightly under when I remove them from the oven, and then end up being a perfect gooey consistency, as they cool down. Don't leave them in too long or you will end up with a very dry and stodgy brownie.
Remove from the oven and cool before serving.
Buon appetito!
If you end up giving this recipe a go, I would love to see a snap of it. Simply tag @giadasplate on Instagram or send me a DM.
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