guilt-free brownies.

There are just some times when I can't take it anymore. I need...

Chocolate.

And lots of it. 

I woke up this morning thinking only of that C word and nothing else. If only I had such dedication to exercise. 

I wanted chocolate and I wanted it now. But I didn't want to attack a chocolate bar, what I craved for was a mammoth, dense, rich, in-your-face slice of chocolate cake. Too bad I couldn't magically produce one in 1 hour, because that was the maximum amount of time I was willing to endure for my chocolate fix.

Luckily, there are always good ole' reliable brownies to turn to. And it just so happens that I had a low-fat brownie recipe I wanted to try.

Now, don't scoff at the name or its nature. This is so freakin' delicious that even I can't believe it. It's fudgy and chewy and chocolaty and all the other scrumptious words that end with "-y". Granted, it's not as rich as your regular brownie, but it matches them in taste. Of course, it also means that you can reach out for another piece...

So as I sit here and type away with a couple of squares within arm's reach, with the clarity of one who has just woken up, all I know are two things: don't overbake them and this recipe kicks some serious brownie butt.

Almost Fat-Free Fudge Brownies
slightly adapted from egglesscooking.com

3/4 cup plain flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup applesauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup water

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 8 x 8 inch pan with aluminum foil. Lining the pan is a very crucial step to getting your brownies out of the pan humanely. Please don't skip this.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the first 4 ingredients.

In a double boiler, melt the chocolate chips. Stir in applesauce, brown sugar and vanilla extract.

Add the dry ingredients into the chocolate mixture and mix until just combined. Add in the water until it comes together looking like a cake batter.

Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, erring on the side of underdone. Remove the pan from the oven and let the brownies cool in the pan for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, remove them from the pan and cool completely on a rack. 

Linked to Tuesday Talent Show, Cast Party Wednesday, These Chicks Cooked, Full Plate Thursday, Sweet Treats Thursday, Sweet Tooth Friday, Fat Camp Friday, Sweets for a Saturday, Strut Your Stuff Saturday and Sweet Indulgences Sunday.