People following a vegan diet consider numerous foods to replace eggs, some more effective than others. Thankfully, pastry chefs mostly use eggs to bind ingredients together and make an airy batter, two more important results for cakes than brownies. This article offers recipes that will allow you to replace eggs with flax seeds or tofu. Plus, you'll find simple tips if you're using a canned brownie mix.
Ingrediants
Vegan Brownies
Makes 8 brownies
- 2 tablespoons (20 g) of ground flaxseed
- 5 tablespoons (75 ml) of water
- 150 g of granulated sugar
- 3 g of baking powder
- 50 g of unsweetened cocoa powder
- 90 g of all-purpose flour
- 1 pinch of salt
- 7 tablespoons (100 g) of vegan margarine or butter
- 40 g of semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of vanilla extract
Tofu Brownie (Non Vegan)
Makes 16 brownies
- 110 g of butter
- 50 g of unsweetened cocoa powder
- 120 ml of pureed silken tofu
- 200 g of sugar
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) of vanilla extract
- 60 g of flour
- 1 pinch of salt
- 65 g chopped dried fruit (optional)
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Vegan Brownies
Step 1. Prepare the oven and muffin trays
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease an 8-size muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray, or line it with parchment paper. Compared to a classic baking pan, the muffin pan favors a more homogeneous cooking, preventing the central part of the brownies from remaining viscous.
Step 2. Grind the flax seeds
Grind the seeds with a coffee grinder or mortar and pestle until a fine powder is obtained. Measure 2 tablespoons (20 g) of ground flax seeds for the next step. If you prepare a large serving in advance, store any leftover seeds in an airtight container and place them in the freezer.
Do not buy flax seeds that have already been ground, as linseed oil immediately turns rancid after grinding, altering the taste of the food
Step 3. Mix the ground flax seeds and water
Take the ground flax seeds and mix them with 5 tablespoons (75 ml) of water. Set them aside and let them rest for at least 5 minutes. In the meantime, take care of the next step. In this way they will thicken up to form a gel with binding properties, which is more or less equivalent to 2 eggs.
Step 4. Mix the dry ingredients
In a large bowl, mix the following ingredients: 3 g of baking powder, 50 g of unsweetened cocoa powder, 90 g of all-purpose flour, 150 g of sugar and a pinch of salt.
Dutch cocoa powder allows you to prepare more substantial brownies with a more intense chocolate flavor. Natural cocoa powder (which includes all types not labeled "Dutch") is preferable, as vegan brownies tend to be denser than egg-based recipes
Step 5. If you like light, moist brownies, replace the all-purpose flour with a cake-specific flour
00 flour should be fine for this.
Step 6. Melt the remaining wet ingredients
Mix 7 tablespoons (100 g) of margarine, 40 g of semi-sweet chocolate chips and 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of vanilla extract. Reheat in the microwave at 30-second intervals, stirring well from time to time. It usually takes 2 minutes for the ingredients to dissolve almost entirely. Don't worry if there are any lumps of chocolate left.
Step 7. Mix all the ingredients
Pour the flaxseed mixture over the wet ingredients, then gradually add the dry ingredients until fully incorporated. The batter may be thicker than the brownie batter you are used to.
Step 8. Fill the compartments of the muffin pan
Transfer the batter into the compartments of the pan, then press it with a spoon to level the surface. Leave some space on top for the brownies to rise.
Step 9. Bake for 22-27 minutes, placing the pan on the center rack of the oven
After 22 minutes, take a test with a toothpick or fork: if it only has a few crumbs at the exit, then the brownies are ready. This type of brownie doesn't burn easily, but cooking it for longer than necessary can make it dry and crumbly.
Step 10. Let cool
Wait for the brownies to cool for at least 10 minutes or they will crumble when you try to remove them from the pan. Once cool, take them out of the tray compartments before they harden.
Method 2 of 3: Tofu Brownie (Non Vegan)
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 180 ° C
Step 2. Melt the butter
Melt 110 g of butter on the stove or in the microwave. If you use the microwave, remove the butter from the oven every 15-30 seconds to stir it.
Step 3. Blend the silken tofu until completely smooth
Use a blender or food processor and make sure there are no solid pieces or lumps left. Since silken tofu is tough, you'll probably need to add some melted butter or water to blend it well. Pulse it to avoid overheating the blender.
You need about 10g of solid tofu to make 120ml of liquid tofu
Step 4. Mix the butter, cocoa powder and sugar
Incorporate 50g of cocoa powder into the butter until it melts. Then, add 200 g of sugar until it forms a thick mixture.
Step 5. Add tofu, vanilla, salt and flour
Gradually add 120ml of smoothie silken tofu, 2 teaspoons (10ml) of vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. Finally, mix in 60 g of flour until you get a smooth batter.
You can also add 65g of chopped nuts, but this is optional
Step 6. Pour the batter into the greased pan
Grease a 20 x 20 cm baking sheet, or line it with parchment paper. Since the batter is thick, it must be poured into the pan with a spoon, as it is not possible to pour it easily. Spread it with the back of a large spoon until it presses on the edges of the pan and has a smooth surface.
Step 7. Bake for 25 minutes
Even if the brownies don't seem fully cooked to you, you need to take them out of the oven after 25 minutes to prevent the surface from drying out. Once out of the oven, they will continue to cook on their own for a few minutes.
Step 8. Let them cool
The pan takes 2-3 hours to cool. If you try to cut the brownies when it's hot, the cakes will crumble. To speed up the process, place the pan on a sturdy cooling rack.
Method 3 of 3: Substitute Eggs in Brownie Mixes
Step 1. Buy a box of brownie mix
If you can't eat eggs because your diet forbids it (and not because your refrigerator is empty), first check the ingredient list of the preparation. Some contain whey or other dairy products that cannot be consumed by vegans. Although less common, some products also contain egg whites.
Step 2. Try using simple substitutes
The easiest option is to follow the recipe printed on the box. Replace each egg in the recipe with one of the following ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon of finely ground flax seeds mixed with 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of water. Let the mixture thicken for 5 minutes.
- 60ml skimmed plain yogurt (or soy yogurt, if you follow a vegan recipe).
- A suitable substitute for eggs, available in stores that sell natural products.
Step 3. Try adding a leavening agent
Eggs are a complex ingredient. While most egg substitutes have a similar function, which is to soften and bind ingredients, they do not provide the same structure that eggs offer, which creates a foamy texture. To make the batter feel slightly more airy and keep the brownies from getting too thick or crumbling, try adding half a teaspoon of baking powder.
This amount is approximate, as brownie mixes have different recipes. You may need to experiment and add more
Step 4. Try a quick recipe using brownie mix
If you'd rather avoid looking for egg substitutes, don't follow the recipe on the preparation box and try one with only 2 ingredients. Here are a couple of seemingly unusual options that can still give great results:
- Open a can of black beans (about 400g). Drain and wash them well to reduce the salt content, fill the can with water and blend the contents until you see no more peels. Mix with a can of brownie mix (about 600g) and pour the mixture into a greased pan. Place it in the oven and let it cook until the toothpick comes out almost completely clean.
- Mix a can of pumpkin cream (about 400g) with a can of brownie mix (about 600g). Bake for about 25-30 minutes or following the instructions on the package.
Advice
- Try garnishing the brownies with vegan chocolate glaze.
- Chocolate is usually sufficient to disguise the flavor of the egg substitutes shown in these recipes. If you are unsure of the final result, add 1-2 tablespoons of instant coffee to the batter.
- If you don't have a coffee grinder, you can boil the flax seeds, strain the gel through a fine sieve and let it cool in the refrigerator. Since the gel does not contain any seed particles, it does not have the same graininess as flax seeds that have not been fully ground.
Warnings
- Make sure you let the brownies cool completely, otherwise you won't be able to cut them well.
- Some types of margarine contain traces of dairy products, such as whey or casein. Vegan brands usually specify these characteristics on the label.
