Ooey Gooey Vegan Brownies.

There's something about brownies that sends me into a little bit of a frenzy. They're just so chocolately and, well, delicious. They're not something I'd made myself since going vegan, and so a few weeks ago I decided to delve into the realm of vegan friendly brownies. What a delight that's been!

I've tweaked this recipe several times over recent weeks and I'm really pleased with how it's turned out. It's got that deliciously chewy crust with a soft, gooey centre. How have I managed to achieve this I hear you cry? Well, the secret is something you may not expect. Aquafaba.

If you don’t know what aquafaba is, then don’t worry, I didn’t either until a few months ago. Aquafaba is the name for the leftover water from a can of cooked chickpeas or beans. It’s made up of a mix of carbohydrates, proteins and other soluble plant solids which has the ability to foam, whip, thicken and bind and makes for an egg-cellect (Christ, I’m hilarious) egg white substitute.

Aquafaba (aqua meaning water and faba meaning bean) as an egg white replacer was discovered by a French chef in 2014 and, as such, has opened up a whole new, accessible realm of vegan cooking. It can be used to make meringues, macarons and marshmallows amongst other things, but today we’ll be using it to make gooey brownies.

Now, I don’t want to toot my own trumpet. But a work colleague told me that these brownies were the best cake he’d ever eaten. I know, my head is so massive I can’t fit it through the door. But seriously, this is a reasonably easy recipe that will knock the socks of anyone, and they won’t for a second suspect it’s vegan.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

♥ 160g plain flour

♥ 50g cocoa powder

♥ 200g caster sugar

♥ 120ml flavourless oil (e.g. rapeseed or vegetable)

♥ 125g dark chocolate (vegan friendly, of course).

♥ 250ml aquafaba (approx 1 cup)

♥ additional 125g melted dark chocolate for the topping (optional)

WHAT TO DO:

♥ Heat the oven to 180°c and line a square cake tin with greaseproof paper.

♥ Place the aquafaba into a large mixing bowl and begin whipping with an electric beater on a medium speed until it starts to bubble up.

♥ At this point gradually add in the sugar (I usually add it in thirds) and continue beating on a medium speed. The aquafaba should start to thicken and change to a white, silky mix.

♥ Continue to beat until the aquafaba forms a medium peaks consistency (a la egg whites). 

♥ Once the aquafaba is mixed, melt the dark chocolate (I just do this in the microwave).

♥ Then sift the flour and cocoa into the aquafaba, alongside the oil and the melted dark chocolate.

♥ Gently fold until the mix is all combined. Once mixed pour into the lined tin and pop in the over for around 20-25 minutes or until a knife/skewer comes out clean (ish - by clean, I mean not wet).

♥ Once cooked allow to cool and add, if using, the melted chocolate to the top (ideally whilst still in the tin).

♥ Chop into squares. Best enjoyed with vegan ice cream and a cuppa.

Let's start a conversation:

I'd love to know if these are something you'd make? I'm keen to do more experimenting with aquafaba (although I need to find a use for all the chickpeas) so please let me know if there's any recipes you think I need to try. I'd love to hear your thoughts either in the comments below, or drop me a tweet @_hellojordan