RECIPE DOCTOR
You don't need all that butter for it to be good
By Elaine Magee
Knight Ridder News Service
Q. I love this recipe for peppermint brownies. They are thick and have a wonderful texture, with peppermint patties in the middle. It doesn't get better than that! Can you shave off some of the calories and fat? My whole family would be thrilled if you could.
A. I lightened up this same recipe quite a few years ago for a cookbook I wrote but I took a second look to see if I could make any additional changes in the name of fewer calories. I took out one more tablespoon of butter (I had originally reduced the butter from 1 cup to 5 tablespoons) and increased the amount of extra strong coffee (which I added as one of the fat substitutes). I made up the rest of the difference with chocolate syrup.
I also reduced the sugar from 4 cups to 3 and if use like using Splenda, you can use 1 1/2 cups of Splenda and 1 1/2 cups of granulated sugar instead. To cut calories even farther, I added 25 peppermint patties in the middle of the brownie batter instead of 35.
These are probably my absolute favorite brownies! The recipe makes 32 jumbo-sized brownies so if you don't want to be up to your eyeballs in to-die-for brownies, you can make two 8 x 8-inch pans and freeze one of them.
Peppermint Brownies
- 8 ounces unsweetened (baking)
- chocolate
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoons egg substitute
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups sugar
- 1/3 cup concentrated coffee or cooled espresso
- 6 tablespoons chocolate syrup
- 1 2/3cups unbleached flour
- 25 (1 1/2-inch wide) York chocolate-covered peppermint patties, unwrapped (about 1 bag)
Preheat oven to 425-degrees and place an oven rack one-third up from the bottom. Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with aluminum foil. Spray the bottom and sides of the foil lining with canola cooking spray.
Place chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high 2 minutes, and stir. Microwave another 2 minutes, and stir. If the chocolate is not completely melted, microwave 30 seconds longer or until mixture is smooth and chocolate is melted; set aside.
In large bowl of electric mixer, beat eggs with egg substitute, extracts, salt, and sugar at high speed for exactly 10 minutes. While this mixture is mixing, stir coffee and chocolate syrup together in a small bowl of glass measure.
On low speed, add chocolate-butter mixture to egg mixture and beat only until mixed. Then add flour and beat on low speed just until mixed. Pour half of the batter (about 3 1/2 cups) into the bottom of the prepared pan and smooth top. Place a layer of mints evenly over the brownie batter. Pour remaining brownie batter over the mints and smooth the top.
Bake about 25 minutes or until a lightly browned crust has formed on top, but a toothpick inserted in center still comes out a little wet and covered with chocolate. This time will vary with your particular oven. Don't be afraid to dig into the middle of the pan with a spoon to make sure it is the texture you desire. Let pan cool.
Refrigerate brownies before cutting (although it is still delicious if you don't wait). Lift the foil from pan and place on a flat surface. Cut into bars using a long, heavy knife with a sharp straight or serrated blade. Pack in an airtight box or wrap individually.
Makes 32 jumbo brownies.
Per brownie: 189 calories, 3 g protein, 34 g carbohydrate, 6.5 g fat (3.4 g saturated fat, 2 g monounsaturated fat, .5 g polyunsaturated fat), 23 mg cholesterol, 1.5 g fiber, 49 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 29 percent.
Original recipe contains 340 calories, 18.5 grams fat, and 50-mg cholesterol per brownie.
Omega-3 fatty acids 0 g.
Omega-6 fatty acids .5 g.
Elaine Magee is author of "The Recipe Doctor Cookbook." Reach her through www.recipedoctor.com. Sorry, no personal responses.
