Have I mentioned that I love brownies ?
I just checked my recipe index, and from the staggering amount of brownie recipes I have there (just two or three, wow), I find it hard to believe myself. Oh well, that can be easily remedied.
But before I go on about them, let me just say that I have gathered my guts and went to ask for a job. I'm not sure if I got it, but I loaded up on sugar (in lieu of some candy bars) and took off before I had a chance to even think about what I was doing. They seemed pretty nice and generally okay with the idea of me actually working there.. Oh I don't know. Fingers crossed. And toes and hair and limbs and whatever. Please give me the job...
Anyhoo, I made some brownies yesterday because I had some avocados in the fridge. In case you're thinking, brownies ? Avocados ? Well I can explain. I originally bought some to make guacamole (which I am obsessed with at the moment) but then I got lazy I didn't have any tomatoes to put in the guac, nor did I have any nachos or chips of eat the guac with. See my awesome planning skills ? So yeah, instead if letting them turn into mush in my refrigerator, I got onto looking and unearthed a recipe for brownies and ice cream. Both made with avocado.
How are they, you ask ? Well the ice cream is a mint chocolate chip one, and the avocado adds a nice green hue without me having to 'help it out' with some coloring. My sister insisted that I splosh in a LOT of mint extract because she's the biggest fan of mint-chip ice cream on the face of the planet. It's bordering on toothpaste now, but she's oddly excited about it and keeps eyeing the container even though she feigns disinterest. Hmm..
But the brownies ! They're dense slabs of chocolate and taste nothing like avocado. With the advantage of having not butter or oil in them, nor any flour, they're gluten free and good for you. You know, what with some healthy fats and chocolate thrown into the mix. At least, that's what I told myself when I cut them into squares and then ate some after the photo shoot. I did throw the pan back into the fridge after that.. Then I hemmed and hawed and went back for another piece. I need to get these out of the house.
P.S: I won't post the recipe for the ice cream because I want to give it another try. The taste is spot on but the texture isn't as smooth as any of the ice creams I've made before.. Then again maybe it's because I put in a crapload of chocolate chips. Oops.
P.S#2: I GOT THE JOB. Sure it's not the highest paying job out there and it's ten long hours of work six days a week but I GOT THE JOB ! Okay, my brain just went ten hours hohoho you're going to pay for it but regret schmegret, I GOT THE JOB !!!!
Time to cut myself another piece of brownie celebrate !
Avocado Brownies
Recipe adapted from here.
1 medium ripe avocado
250g dark chocolate, melted and cooled slightly
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup caster sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/3 cup rice flour
1/3 cup chocolate chips
1. Preheat the oven to 180C and line an 8 by 8 inch pan with parchment paper.
2. Peel and remove the pit from the avocado. Put it in a food processor or a blender and blend until you get a smooth, lump-free purée. Pour in the melted chocolate and blend until smooth.
1. Preheat the oven to 180C and line an 8 by 8 inch pan with parchment paper.
2. Peel and remove the pit from the avocado. Put it in a food processor or a blender and blend until you get a smooth, lump-free purée. Pour in the melted chocolate and blend until smooth.
3. Add both the sugars and blend until well combined. Add once egg at a time, processing until you can't see the yolk any more before adding the next egg. Blend in the vanilla and salt.
4. Add the cocoa powder and rice flour and blend to mix. They're both gluten free, so you don't have to worry about overworking the mixture, though you could pour out the batter into a mixing bowl and fold in the cocoa powder and rice flour by hand. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand, you wouldn't want to blend those.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes, until set. Don't overbake them, be sure to take them out while they're still a little fudgy in the middle. Cool completely, then refrigerate until cold before cutting into squares. Serve with ice cream if desired (optional, but recommended).
