February is chocolate month here at the Energized Body.  Amy’s got a great take on gluten-free brownies this week.  Enjoy! — Denise

In our house, brownies aren’t optional. Every batch is devoured, usually in hours, not days. When we had to go gluten-free, it was one of the first baked goods I worked to remake. Our favorite recipe just didn’t seem to work as well gluten-free.

My research turned up a master recipe by Alice Medrich, a well-known chocolate baking expert.  I swapped out the gluten flour and nuts and replaced them with almond flour. The original recipe uses unsweetened cocoa powder, which lets you control how much butter and sugar you use. Denise’s recipe for Super Yum Chocolate Cookies reminded me about birch sugar. Birch sugar is a great sugar-replacement for diabetics and other sugar-sensitive folks. Lo and behold, it works well here, too! These brownies are not-too-sweet, super chocolatey and intense enough that a little bit goes a long way. Perfect for Valentine’s Day! Without further ado, my son Ian’s Favorite Brownies!

Ian’s Favorite Gluten-free Brownies
Makes 16 large or 25 smaller brownies

Ingredients

• 8 Tbs (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup birch sugar (or cane sugar)
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (natural or Dutch-process)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 cold large eggs
• 2.5 ounces almond flour (about 2/3 cup)

Directions

1. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F. Line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper or foil, leaving an overhang on two opposite sides.

2. Combine the butter, birch sugar, cocoa, and salt in a medium ovenproof bowl and set in warming oven. Stir from time to time until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth and hot enough that you want to remove your finger fairly quickly after dipping it in to test. Remove the bowl from the oven and set aside briefly until the mixture is only warm, not hot.

3. Stir in the vanilla with a wooden spoon. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring vigorously after each one. When the batter looks thick, shiny, and well blended, add the almond flour and stir until you cannot see it any longer, then beat vigorously for 40 strokes with the wooden spoon or a rubber spatula. Remember, with no gluten, it won’t get tough! Spread evenly in the lined pan.

4. Bake until a toothpick plunged into the center emerges slightly moist with batter, 20 to 25 minutes — err on the side of undercooked. Let cool completely on a rack.

5. Lift up the ends of the parchment or foil liner, and transfer the brownies to a cutting board. Cut into 16 or 25 squares (the brownies will be a little gooey and stick to the knife).

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Ready for an after-Valentine’s Day treat?