Fudgy Double Chocolate Brownies from Fuss Free Vegan

I hope everyone had a wonderful stretch of holidays. Maybe you are still on vacation, or maybe like me, back at work alreadyl

I don’t think I mentioned it in my last post, but vacation has a new definition for me now that we are a family of three. Kiddo in daycare and parents at home alone is definitely more relaxing for me now! Daycare was closed for a week, so all three of us were home with plenty of excursions to visit family. No relaxing here at all.

There was plenty of delicious vegan eats this year and I personally thank Sam Turnbull for her help in a delicious Christmas dinner. I received her cookbook, Fuss-Free Vegan, a few months ago, and after making a few dishes (including these delicious brownies), I shared it with my mom to give her ideas for Christmas. Well, my mom knocked it out of the park with so many great recipes from this cookbook!

My mom followed Sam’s suggestions for a holiday feast and made Ooh La La Puff Pastry-Wrapped Lentil Loaf with the Easiest Gravy in the World along with Creme Brulee and Gingerbread Animals for dessert/appetizer (the cookies were just my starter, haha). She had made the blender pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving, before I ever mentioned the cookbook. My mom also made the log cake from Superfun Times Vegan Holiday cookbook, so there were tons of dessert options.

Rob, P and I enjoyed the fancy lentil loaf and everyone raved about the creme brulee. More acclaim than the blender pumpkin pie received at Thanksgiving, and that was a lot of praise. The gingerbread cookies were also excellent. I didn’t take any photos of the food because I was too busy eating it and keeping P out of trouble.

Although I am starting to doubt my ability to photograph food. The first shot is from Sam, which is gorgeous. The other brownie photos, which I am now looking at months later are not the best, but I shared the brownies with my friends first and photographed the remnants afterwards. I was a bit skeptical of the extra resting step, but it was definitely worth it. These brownies improved with age, so it was a great dessert to make in advance.

My mom highly recommends this cookbook (easy, simple, yet impressive-appearing recipes) and it gets my golden stamp of approval as well. I hope you enjoy cooking from it as well.

Recipes from Fuss-Free Vegan spotted elsewhere:

Blueberry Bliss Muffins 
Oh Mommy Umami Lettuce Wraps
Crowd-Pleasing Jalapeno Cheeseball
Go-To Chickpea Salad Sandwich
15-minute Peanut Noodles 
Lighter (and better that way) Cauliflower Fettuccini Alfredo
Tofu Bolognese
Lemon Meringue Pie
Vegan Cheesecake

Fudgy Double Chocolate Brownies from Fuss Free Vegan

Author’s note: These brownies are very bit as fudgy and chocolatey as a good brownie should be. The edges are lightly crisp and the center is chewy and full of rich chocolatey goodness. My sneaky-deaky trick to making the perfect fudgy brownies is to let them rest overnight. But if you can’t wait to dig in, go for it; the brownies will just be soft and crumbly-perfect for crumbling them over top Instant Vanilla Ice Cream (page 176) for a real treat. If you’re having a wicked chocolate craving, these will be your new best friend!

1 cup vegan chocolate chips
1/2 cup vegan butter
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup non-dairy milk (such as soy or almond)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1.5 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
12 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

1. Preheat your oven to 350F. Grease an 8 by 8 baking pan.
2. In a small saucepan, melt together the chocolate chips and butter, making sure to remove the saucepan from the heat just as it’s finished melting to ensure you don’t burn the chocolate.
3. Pour the melted chocolate into a mixing bowl. Add the sugar, non-dairy milk, and vanilla and mix well. Now add the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt and mix until combined. Finally, add the walnuts (if using).
4. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake for 30-35 minutes, until the brownies are pulling away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs on it. Let the brownies cool and set overnight. This is the key to perfect gooey brownies.
5. To store, let the brownies cool completely, then cover with foil or plastic wrap and keep at room temperature for the best texture. For longer storage put in an airtight container and store in the fridge.

Makes 12 brownies.

Note: 

Excerpted from Fuss-Free Vegan: 101 Everyday Comfort Food Favorites, Veganized. Copyright © 2017 Samantha Turnbull. Published by Appetite by Random House®, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.

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