vegan gluten-free black bean brownies

the following recipe was adapted by a friend and has become a favourite dessert in our kitchen! we hope you enjoy it as much as we have!

INGREDIENTS

•       1 15 oz. can (1 3/4 cups) black beans, well rinsed and drained
•       2 large flax eggs (2.5 Tbsp flaxseed meal + 6 Tbsp water)
•       3 Tbsp coconut oil, melted (or sub other oil of choice)*
•       3/4 cup cocoa powder (the higher quality the better)
•       heaping 1/2 cup coconut sugar, slightly ground or pulsed in a food processor or coffee grinder for refined texture
•       1 1/2 tsp baking powder (or 1/2 tsp + 1/4 tsp cream of tartar and 1/4 tsp + 1/8 tsp baking soda)

INSTRUCTIONS

1      Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2      Lightly grease a 12-slot standard size muffin pan (not mini). Make sure you've rinsed and thoroughly drained your black beans at this point.
3      Prepare flax egg by combining flax and water in the bowl of the food processor. Pulse a couple times and then let rest for a few minutes.
4      Add remaining ingredients and puree - about 3 minutes - scraping down sides as needed. You want it pretty smooth.
5      If the batter appears too thick, add a tablespoon or two of water and pulse again. It should be slightly less thick than chocolate frosting but nowhere close to runny.
6      Evenly distribute the batter into the muffin tin and smooth the tops with a spoon or your finger.
7      Bake for 20-26 minutes or until the tops are dry and the edges start to pull away from the sides. 
8      Remove from oven and let cool for 30 minutes before removing from pan. They will be tender, so remove gently with a fork. The insides are meant to be very fudgy, so don't be concerned if they seem too moist - that's the point. Plus, they're vegan so it doesn't really matter.

Store in an airtight container for up to a few days. Refrigerate to keep longer.

*For slightly denser brownies, add 2 oz of unsweetened Baker's chocolate to the oil while it is melting. The batter will be thicker and may need and additional 1 Tbsp of water during pureeing.