Bad News Brownies

Let me tell you a little story. I notoriously am a bad baker. I just never really liked the whole "following directions" thing, which you obviously must do in baking, as it is essentially a chemistry experiment. "A little of this, a splash of that" doesn't work in baking, but that is precisely how I cook. Which is why I started this blog, as a matter of fact. I never wrote anything down that I cooked, I just winged it. Then people would ask me "how did you make that" and I'd have a hard time explaining it. So I started writing down my cooking excursions and sharing with all you fine people through this blog. Anyway I digress... 

My worst baking experience wasn't even due to my inability to follow directions. It was pure stupidity. My sister baked brownies for her track team, and I thought I'd help cool them off quicker by putting the fresh-out-of-the-oven glass baking dish into the snow. So yeah, that wasn't smart. I still feel bad about that to this day. But these brownies I'm about to bless you with make up for that fiasco. 

Steve's mom brought these brownies to a dinner party last week. I don't usually care too much about desserts, but I tried one of these because they were gluten free and I was curious (and maybe a little but hungry). Much to my surprise, they were gooey and delightful. She shared the recipe with me and I made a few modifications and here we are! 

This recipe calls for teff flour. I have to be honest, I had to look up what that was. But turns out, teff is a little grain that packs a lot of nutritional punch with protein, calcium and iron. So these brownies are basically guilt-free! I'm calling them "Bad News Brownies" because they are so good that they are bad. Like, eat a whole tray bad, which I, of course, do not encourage you to do :-) 

Bad News Brownies

What you'll need

  • 1/2 cup almond flour
  • 1/3 cup teff flour
  • 1 cup Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet chocolate chips
  • 6 tablespoons butter (salted) cut into cubes
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs, slightly beaten

What you'll do

  1. Preheat the oven to 325 and set the rack to the lower third of the oven
  2. In a double boiler, melt the chocolate chips and butter. If you're like me and don't have a double boiler, just grab two pots - one small and one bigger one. Fill the bigger pot about halfway with water, then rest the small pot in the water. 
  3. While your chocolate is melting, in a separate bowl, mix together the almond flour and teff flour. Make sure you break up all the clumps of almond flour. 
  4. Once your chocolate and butter is fully melted and a smooth consistency, remove from heat and let cool for about 5 minutes.
  5. Add the chocolate to a larger bowl, then mix in the vanilla and maple syrup and combine. Then slowly add in the eggs, stirring while you add them.
  6. Add the flour mixture to the chocolate mixture, and combine well until everything is smooth.
  7. Pour the batter into an 8x8 baking dish lined with parchment paper (or really well greased).
  8. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the brownies are slightly puffed and a tooth pick comes out clean.
  9. Try like hell not not to eat the whole damn tray.