Google+ Allergy-Free Vintage Cookery: Vegan Volcano Brownies

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Thursday, August 25, 2011

Vegan Volcano Brownies


Before allergies took over our lives, we used to love eating Chocolate Lava Cakes.  For the uninitiated, these are individual cakes baked in ramekins that are left soft in the middle, so when you sink your fork in for a bite, a river of hot chocolate "lava" runs out onto your plate.  Unfortunately, when that undercooked middle contains eggs, it wreaks havoc with the digestive systems of those allergic to eggs.

While leafing through the Gardener's Community Cookbook by Smith & Hawken, I came upon a really unique recipe for Beet and Blackberry Brownies.  With a few substitutions and measurement adjustments, I was able to make a delicious allergy-free version, but found that the middle was quite soft.  The tops of these brownies are drizzled with melted blackberry jam, which looks a *bit* like rivers of lava, so....I suddenly realized that I had stumbled upon an allergy-free version of a lava cake!  Jackpot!

Because these brownies are made with beets, they do have a faint red tint to them, and depending on the brand of jam you use, your lava may be red as well, so serendipity has dropped a fun new dessert in our laps :)  Here's how you make them:

Vegan Volcano Brownies

1 cup chocolate chunks (I used Enjoy Life dairy-free, soy-free, gluten-free)
1/2 cup coconut oil (or canola oil)
2 peeled and cooked beets (our grocery sells cooked organic beets)
1 cup blackberry jam, divided (use an all-fruit preparation if you can. Mine was a mixed berry jam)
2 egg substitutes (I used 2 Tbsp flax seed and 6 Tbsp water)
3/4 cup agave nectar (or sugar, if you prefer)
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup gluten-free flour (I used oat flour, but quinoa would work well too)

In a small saucepan, melt the chocolate chunks and the oil together.  Puree the beets in a food processor, and add them to the chocolate, along with 1/2 cup of jam.  Take off the heat and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine your egg substitutes, agave, and vanilla.  Stir in the chocolate mixture.  Add your preferred flour and mix well.  Pour into an 8x8 baking pan.  Melt the remaining 1/2 cup jelly in the microwave (or on the stove) but do not boil.  Pour over the chocolate batter, but do not stir in.  Use a knife to make designs if you like.

Bake for 35 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Let cool at least 15 minutes before cutting.  Serve warm... the centers will be soft.

My Good-Luck Kitchen Elf!


Shared with Anything Goes at Type A and Good Life Wednesday at A Beach Cottage and Share the Love Wednesday at Very Merry Vintage Style and the Ultimate Recipe Swap at Life as a Mom and Fresh Bites Friday at Real Food Whole Health and Sweet Tooth Friday at Alli and Son and Mangia Mondays at Delightfully Dowling and Rednesday at It's a Very Cherry World and Cure For the Common Monday at Lines Across My Face and Whatcha Got Weekend at Lolly Jane Boutique and Allergy Friendly Friday at Cybele Pascal and Joy of Desserts and Fat Tuesday at Real Food Forager and Tuesday Talent Show at Chef in Training and Sweets for a Saturday at Sweet As Sugar Cookies and Show Off Your Stuff at Fireflies and Jellybeans and This Week's Cravings at Mom's Crazy Cooking and Gluten Free Wednesday at The Gluten Free Homemaker and Monday Mania at The Healthy Home Economist and Joy of Dessert and Traditional Tuesday at Whole New Mom and Tea Party Tuesday at Sweetology and the Gingerbread Christmas Tea at The Plumed Pen and Slightly Indulgent Tuesday at Simply Sugar and Gluten Free and These Chicks Cooked at This Chick Cooks. 

9 comments:

  1. If they taste as good as the picture looks they must be wonderful! Thanks for linking up to Share the Love Wednesday... hope you'll be back this week.
    Mary

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  2. It looks delicious!My daughter is a vegetarian, check out her blog:
    http://www.yummyvegetariandelights.com/

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  3. Looks very good but too rich for me.

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  4. ummm...sounds and looks delicious.
    xo bj

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  5. Thank goodness you are so creative with ingredients. Keep up the good work, and thank you for linking at Joy of Desserts. :-)

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  6. Thanks for linking your great post to FAT TUESDAY. This was very interesting! Hope to see you next week!

    Be sure to visit RealFoodForager.com on Sunday for Sunday Snippets – your post from Fat Tuesday may be featured there!

    http://realfoodforager.com/2011/10/fat-tuesday-october-18-2011/

    If you have grain-free recipes please visit my Grain-Free Linky Carnival in support of my 28 day grain-free challenge! It will be open until November 2.

    http://realfoodforager.com/2011/10/grain-free-real-food-linky-carnival/

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  7. Sounds amazing!!!!!! This is a must try for sure.

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  8. It looks sooooooooo delicious - I really love the way the texture looks.

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