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Fudgy Zucchini Brownies

Servings 16 brownies

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces zucchini about one 8" fresh zucchini, trimmed, cut into chunks
  • 3 tablespoons salted butter melted
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 2/3 cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon espresso powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • heaping 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. For easiest removal, line a 9" square pan with foil and spray with cooking spray.
  2. Chop up zucchini into chunks and place in food processor along with melted butter, eggs and vanilla. Process until smooth.
  3. Add sugar, cocoa powder, espresso, baking powder, flour and salt. Pulse a few times just until combined.
  4. Add chocolate chips and pulse several times to break the chips up a little.
  5. Pour into prepared pan. If you have a lot of air bubbles, drop (or firmly tap) the pan on the counter a few times to pop them and release excess air.
  6. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs attached to it. There should be no wet batter clinging to the toothpick.
  7. Allow to cool. Use the foil to lift them out of the pan, then cut into squares. Or, allow to cool, refrigerate until cold and then cut into squares.

Recipe Notes

*I've said it many times but different cocoas will produce different flavors. One of my favorite cocoas to use is Double Dutch Dark Cocoa For this recipe, I used Bensdorp Cocoa. Love 'em both. You can use regular unsweetened cocoa, but I love the flavor that Dutch process cocoa provides.

*You can use zucchini or yellow squash in this recipe.

*I tried both semi-sweet and bitter sweet chips and preferred the semi sweet. You could also use milk chocolate chips, if you're looking for more sweetness.

*Processing the mixture does create air bubbles in the batter. You'll see little holes on the surface of my baked brownies from the bubbles that popped in the oven. (A couple are just from my testing toothpick.) I should have dropped the pan on the counter a few times to release them. I've added that step to the instructions. If you decide to frost the brownies, you won't see them anyway.

*If you don't have a food processor, you can puree the zucchini and wet ingredients in a blender, pour it into a bowl, then stir in your dry ingredients.

*You don't have to store these in the refrigerator, but I really like them cold. For the best cuts, cut cold brownies with a hot knife. I just let my knife sit in a tall mug of hot water for a minute or two, then wipe it dry and cut. I reheat it in the water every couple of cuts wiping the blade with a paper towel after each dip in the water.

Recipe from King Arthur Flour