Gluten Free Brownies

Brownies. Are. My. Favorite.

I especially like them warm with ice cream.  Because brownies!   And ice cream!

We've been wanting to try baking with almond flour so Lily made these brownies from a paleo recipe she adapted from Elana's Pantry.  Gluten free!  [We assume no regular flour in the almond flour....]

Lily's GF Brownies
www.rurification.com

1 cup almond flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 cup sugar
7 medjool dates with pit removed
3 eggs
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350.  Pulse the dry ingredients in food processor.  Add the dates, pulse until in small pieces.  Transfer mix to a bowl or stand mixer. Add eggs, butter and vanilla and mix together with mixer until just combined.  Bake in greased 8x8 dish for 30 minutes or until done. 

These brownies are dense and fudgy - exactly the way I like them.   They didn't have a 'date-y' flavor like some things flavored with dates do.  The almond flavor balances the dates nicely.   I didn't think that either the almonds or the dates overwhelmed the chocolate flavor at all.  I loved these! 

Doughnut Maker

As some of you know, in addition to this blog, I also write for Chickens in the Road, a country living blog by Suzanne McMinn.   You might have already seen it listed in my sidebar.   If you haven't already, please check it out:   Chickens in the Road

Once a month, Suzanne does a giveaway to one of her blog contributers and last month I was excited to be the winner of this doughnut maker.

Pretty, huh!  I especially like the sprinkles on top.

The girls, especially K2, were excited to try it out right away, so I turned them loose and they decided to make brownies in the doughnut maker. 




Brilliant!

They started with their favorite brownie recipe.

It didn't take long to figure out that it was much easier to pipe the batter in than it was to spoon it in.   K2 pulled out her Dessert Decorator Plus, by Wilton and filled it up. 

Then she piped the batter into the doughnut maker.

It generally takes 6 minutes to bake doughnuts, but the brownies took a bit longer.

Make sure you pipe them full - up to the edge.  They'll rise into the top spaces just fine.

Let them bake for 8 minutes and Ta-DA!

Brownies!
With crispy edges all over!

Notice that one in the back with the slump?   That's one that wasn't filled all the way.

Delish!     Thank you SO MUCH, Suzanne for this wonderful new tool!

Tomorrow - carrot cake doughnuts with cream cheese glaze!   Stay tuned for the recipe.