Chewy Brownies - vegan

If you follow me on Pinterest, you may have noticed lots of chocolate recipes lately- cupcakes, cakes, cookies, pancakes, more cupcakes. I've been itching to take on two specific recipes since last week that each require a different kind of beer. I'm not a big beer drinker, but it is Mr Official Taster's drink of choice. Unfortunately for my chocolate craving him, he's been fighting a cold, also since last week, which means he hasn't been in a beer-drinking-frame-of-mind. My recipes only use partial bottles, and I'm not willing to waste the rest, so no stout flavored chocolate for me. sigh. 

On the bright side, I was pushed to try out this brownie recipe that I've had my eye on for, oh, two years or so. Man do I need to speed up my timeline. These are good.

Chewy Brownies - vegan

adapted from Whisk Kid

1/3 C flour
1 C water
1/2 C vegan butter (1 stick)
4 oz chocolate (or a heaping 1/2 C of chips)*
2 C flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 C sugar
1 C brown sugar (you can use all granulated, but the brown sugar contributes to a chewier and denser texture.)
1 tsp vanilla
1 C chocolate chips
1/2 C (handful or so) cocoa nibs, optional

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 9"x13" baking pan. If you like to remove your brownies from pans, line with parchment and grease the parchment. (I usually just cut and serve directly from my pan)

In the microwave or in a double boiler, melt the butter and chocolate in a large bowl. Stir to combine. Set aside to cool slightly.

In a small saucepan, combine 1/3 C flour and 1 C water over medium heat. Stir constantly, until thick and gummy (it only takes a couple minutes). Set aside to cool slightly. 

In a small bowl, combine remaning 2 C flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

Add the sugars and the vanilla to the chocolate mixture. Stir in the cooked flour mixture thoroughly. Sift the dry flour mix over the bowl, then fold in to combine. Before it's all the way combined, add the chocolate chips and cocoa nibs, if using, and finish mixing. Do not over mix.

Spread batter in pan, sprinkle with more chocolate chips/nibs if desired (and why wouldn't you?), and bake for 20-25 minutes**, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean. Remove from oven, and allow to cool completely before removing from pan and slicing.

*milk, unsweetened, and semisweet all work

**I baked mine in a ceramic pan this time, so it took more like 30-35 minutes.