Make these vegan brownies

It seems like once August rolls around, we fill the remainder of summer with a frenzy of picnics and barbecues. And while burgers, brats and beer are certainly the holy trinity of these outdoor get-togethers, there is one more “b” that makes a frequent appearance, thanks to the person who realizes we’ll need something sweet to balance the savory. That we’ll need brownies ... vegan brownies.

That’s right. This month we’re taking things a step further by not just omitting meat, but all animal products. And if there is one thing I’ve learned about tweaking baking recipes, it’s that keeping it simple is the way to go.

For this brownie recipe, three dairy components needed replacing: eggs, butter and chocolate chips. Since eggs would be used more for thickening (instead of leavening), I tried two ways to replace them. The first was to use one ripe, mashed banana for every egg, but the flavor of the fruit was way too strong. Round two: applesauce. It’s something a lot of baking recipes call for to add extra moisture, and it has a similar thickness to whisked eggs without tainting the flavor of the final dish. All of these traits worked perfectly in this dish.

As for the butter, it’s like the bacon of the meat world; you just can’t find something that gets the exact same taste and texture. So I hit the “easy” button and picked up a tub of Earth Balance buttery spread, which is available at most grocery stores around town.

I treated the chocolate much the same as the butter, although my fingers were crossed that I could find something besides carob, a member of the pea family frequently substituted for chocolate whose taste I’ve never been able to swallow. Luckily, while walking down the “healthy eating” aisle at my local supermarket, I found non-dairy chocolate chips made from cocoa, which are every kind of “free” you can imagine: dairy-free, gluten-free, wheat-free, peanut-free, soy-free … and the list goes on.

So there I was, my three ingredients replaced. I went home to double-check my research before I started baking. And it’s a good thing I did.

Until this article, I wasn’t aware that when it comes to vegan baking (and vegetarian, for that matter) you have to look at where your sugar comes from. Most brands in this industry process their product using bone char, which is made from the bones of cattle and used to decolorize sugar cane. This is why granulated sugar is bright white. Bone char also is inherently used in the brown sugar and confectioners sugar processes because both have refined sugar as an original ingredient.

Now, before your head starts to spin thinking about the products you use containing refined sugar, let me relay some options. First, you can call the company and ask if the sugar they use is processed with bone char. Second, when you have the ability to add sugar yourself, you can use substitutes such as Sucanat, turbinado sugar or beet sugar. Or, you can hunt down the refined sugar made by bone-char-free companies (PETA has a list on its website.). I found organic cane sugar produced by Florida Crystals at my local Schnucks, so it isn’t a difficult task.

The end result of all this work will yield thick, rich, fudge-y, one-and-done brownies – leaving you completely satisfied after a long day of summer barbecuing.

Vegan Brownies

1 8-by-8-inch pan

8 oz. non-dairy mini chocolate chips, divided into 7 oz. and 1 oz.
8 Tbsp. vegan butter
3 Tbsp. cocoa powder
¾ cup applesauce
1¼ cup bone-char-free sugar
2 tsp. vanilla extract
½ tsp. salt
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and place oven rack in middle slot (or lower-middle slot for ovens that have four slots). Spray an 8-inch square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray and line bottom and sides with parchment paper.
• Melt 7 ounces of the chocolate chips and the butter in a double boiler with barely simmering water. Stir occasionally until smooth, then whisk in the cocoa powder until smooth again. Remove from heat and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the applesauce, sugar, vanilla and salt until well combined, then whisk in the chocolate mixture. With a wooden spoon, stir in the flour until just combined, then stir in the remaining 1 ounce of chocolate chips until just combined (If you stir too much, the brownies run the risk of becoming cakey.). Pour the mixture into prepared pan, making sure it reaches the corners and is level on top.
• Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with only a few crumbs. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and let the brownies come to room temperature before cutting and serving.