Foodbuzz

Tuesday 23 August 2011

Aubergine in a brownie??!!!!

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I've been intrigued with using various kinds of vegetables in baking to make my diet that bit healthier. Can using vegetables really give a cake its moistness? Will the cake still taste of vegetables? Can it really taste like the real thing? These were some of the questions I had so to answer them, i had to try it myself. I've tried baking muffins using peas, banana bread using courgettes but nope, i didn't really like them. The muffin really tasted of peas which was rather odd and the banana bread had an spongy, not to great texture to it. 


Not being happy with the recipes I tried so far, I decided to get the Harry Eastwood Red Velvet Chocolate Heartache book after reading some good reviews. All recipes in there contain vegetable of some sorts so it was just what I was searching for...i hope.....


Flipping through it, the 1st recipe that caught my eye was one called Heartache Chocolate cake as it uses aubergines!!!! I really adore aubergine, making Pasta Alla Norma and Caponata quite often but using it in a cake? I've never heard of it before so it would be a pretty interesting one to try. What even more unusual about it was that the recipe didn't contain flour nor butter nor oil?? I was like...how in the world is this possible!!!!???????? So now, this has really caught my attention and I couldn't wait to get into it!! I was definitely skeptical as to how it would turn out so I was keeping my fingers crossed!


And the outcome of it all was................AMAZING!!! I was pleasantly surprised as was my hubby. It was rich, moist,dense and oh so moreish,  just like how a brownie should be so I shall call it that instead of a cake. ;P 

Ingredients:
2 small whole aubergines/1 large weighing 400g
300g best dark chocolate you can find (minimum 70% cocoa solids) broken into pieces
50g good quality cocoa powder, plus extra for dusting
60g ground almonds
3 medium eggs
200g clear honey
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 x 23cm diameter x 7cm cake tin
A skewer
A microwave
A blender 


Method:
1) Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
2) Line the tin with baking parchment and lightly brush the base and sides with a little oil.
3) Cook the aubergine: prick all over with a skewer, place in a microwaveable bowl, cover with cling film and cook on a high heat in the microwave for 8 minutes until limp.
4) Leave until cool enough to handle then skin, discarding any water.
5) Purée in the blender and then add in the chocolate. Heat a little more in the microwave if the chocolate needs help melting.
6) Whisk all the other ingredients together in a large bowl.
7)  Fold the melted chocolate and aubergine mixture into the bowl with the other ingredients.
8)Pour it into the tin, place in the bottom of the oven and cook for 30 minutes.(I had to bake it for 50 mins)
9) Remove from the oven. let it cool in the tin and then invert it onto a rack to finish cooling
10) Sieve a little cocoa power on top and serve.





35 comments:

  1. Very unusual and surprised it turned out great. No flour, no sugar? A baba ghanoush brownie:)

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  2. YAY! SO blogged the recipe! Great :)
    That brownie looks so good! texture is quite similar to my vegan brownie!!

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  3. are you really sure u put that aubergine in it..:) that is one fantastic recipe.. i think this recipe should go in all fussy kids lunchboxes.. ! super cool

    Richa @ Hobby And More Food Blog
    Hobby And More on Facebook

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  4. Thanks so much for visiting my blog, I'm having so much fun checking out yours!! These sound great, and even have a LOT of aubergine in it! I'll have to give it a try. Your peas in a muffin attempt made me laugh, at least you were brave! :)

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  5. What a cool idea! I never would have thought to use an aubergine in a dessert! That brownie looks so rich and yummy!

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  6. NEVER heard of eggplant used in a cake, so I am glad to hear that such thing actually tastes wonderful :) Thanks for sharing :)

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  7. this is so creative:) i am so intringue right now:) thank you for sharing this. it looks so moist and decadent.

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  8. Aubergine brownies? I am totally intrigued. Love to grab a bite to taste.

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  9. No butter & flour? oh I likey.. saved this recipe for guilt free moments

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  10. WOW! Never heard of aubergines in brownies. And no butter or flour!! I have to give these a try.

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  11. This is truly a unique and healthy recipe-hard to believe the list of ingredients. Chocolatey goodness without all the guilt-great post!

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  12. Interesting. You get your vege intake in a chocolate goodness. ;p

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  13. My first time here....

    Love yuor space and wow eggplant in cake...my gosh! love it! what more can impress me! :-)

    Happy to follow you...and hope you will also like my space

    http://anuzhealthykitchen.blogspot.com/

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  14. What a fabulous idea for a brownie, this looks delicious!!

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  15. Gosh, this is just so inviting. Wish I can have a slice or two right now. Yummmm.... Deooling!
    Kristy

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  16. Oh wow..This looks very interesting. Definitely bookmarking the recipe!

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  17. This is darn inspired. beetroot I'd thought of, but aubergine? Brilliant. I know what I'm doing this weekend.

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  18. Thanks for the comments everyone!!!! It sure is a unusual but absolutely delicious recipe!!! You'll have to give it a go!!

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  19. Fascinating! I've heard about good beet desserts but never aubergine :)

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  20. Wow! From the picture I couldn't tell at all that this is made of eggplant! Such a great disguise for my kids. =) Your brownie look perfect with unique ingredient in it. I bet no one can tell!

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  21. i love brownies and healthifying it with veggies is awesome. zucchini is my favorite veggie to bake with!

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  22. Goodness me these look divine Sylvia!, even ignoring how intriguing the recipe is they look utterly irresistible so this is going straight to the top of the stupidly long brownie to-try list i have accumulated! :)

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  23. Aubergine brownies??? Really? I cannot believe it. It sure does not look like one! :O

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  24. I love aubergines too ~ as a vegetable... and I think I am going to love aubergines evenmore as dessert :)...
    I wish I could take a bite now... hehehe...

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  25. I would really like to try that! I never even heard of something like this!

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  26. Wow this is insane! I'll definitely be giving these a try. They look so fudgy delicious!

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  27. Wow, that is original! I bet the texture of those brownies is amazing.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  28. Man. I could eat a truckload of these!

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  29. Wow now this is truly a unique recipe..... This brownie looks so dense and chewy and delicious and on top of all you made it healthy.... Love it.

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  30. Hi Sylvia! I have just discovered your blog, had a walk through your past posts and I love it! I started to read this brownie recipe and have just seen I have the same cookery book! However, I once tried only a beetroot chocolate cake and it was really good, but I admit I felt the beetroot a bit. I am so happy you tested another one for me :-)

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  31. You taught me something here. I didn't know that eggplants were also called aubergines. I LOVE learning something new! OK - now - in a brownie?!?! :) Yes, that does sound weird but your picture and recipe look delicious! Very ingenious!

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  32. Thanks for the lovely comments everyone! Great to know that you find this recipe intriguing too!

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  33. That's exactly the kind of recipes I like!! Original! :) Remind me to try it soon, I'm curious to taste them!

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