Many people don’t realize that you can substitute
pureed fruits for all or some of the fat called for in many baking
recipes. This recipe uses pureed apples (applesauce), but canned
pumpkin works quite well, too. You may also drain canned pears,
peaches, plums, etc., puree them, and use them as fat substitutes.
You may note a small difference in the consistency of the brownies—more
cake-like and less crumbly (which I actually prefer), but the chocolate
flavor is all there!
3/4 cup all
purpose flour
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cocoa
powder
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup applesauce
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup chopped walnuts, pecans, or almonds
(optional)
Preheat oven to 325°F. Lightly coat an 8x8-inch
baking pan with oil or nonstick spray. In a medium mixing bowl,
whisk together flour and cocoa powder. Stir in sugar, then stir
in remaining ingredients until well blended. Pour batter into prepared
pan and spread evenly. Bake about 25 minutes, or until edges pull
away from the sides of the pan and the middle is almost set. (The
key is not to over bake or dry out the brownies, which is more of
a risk without the traditional fat.)