Chewy Chocolate Brownies

I'm always a little skeptical of recipes labeled "light" or "healthy," especially when it comes to treats like brownies or cake or cookies. I mean, really? Can they actually be as good as the full-fat version? Well in this case, they are! These brownies turned out delicious, and you'd never know they are lightened up a bit. Chewy Chocolate Brownies
from Taste of Home Healthy Cooking 2009

3 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 c. packed brown sugar
3 Tbs. unsweetened applesauce
1 egg
1 egg white
2 Tbs. canola oil
4 1/2 tsp. light corn syrup
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. baking cocoa
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt

In a microwave, melt chocolate; stir until smooth. Cool slightly. Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, beat the brown sugar, applesauce, egg, egg white, oil, corn syrup and vanilla. Beat in chocolate until blended. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; beat into brown sugar mixture just until blended.

Pour into a 9x13 baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars. Makes 18 brownies.

*I will admit that I fattened up my batch of brownies a bit with about 1/2 cup of Andes mint baking chips that were left over from Christmas. Yum.

(For those of you interested, each brownie has 125 calories and 4 g of fat. Without the addition of the mint chips, of course.)

Layered Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies

I found one lonely can of pumpkin at the grocery store this week. (Is everyone else still having a hard time finding it?) I decided I'd better make something really good with that one can, just in case I can't get any more for a while. I came across this recipe on Cookie Madness: Layered Pumpkin Cheesecake Brownies. (Her pictures are much better than mine.) Wow. These are so delicious. Also totally worth the pregnancy-induced heartburn they brought on later. Maybe that will keep me from eating the entire pan tomorrow.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Filling:

12 oz. cream cheese, softened

6 Tbs. brown sugar

2 Tbs. granulated sugar

3/4 c. canned pumpkin

1 large egg plus 2 Tbs. beaten egg

1/2 tsp. vanilla

3/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1 1/2 Tbs. flour

Brownies Batter:

2 sticks butter

1/4 tsp. plus a tiny pinch of salt

1 1/2 c. granulated sugar

3 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/2 c. bittersweet chocolate chips, melted and cooled

1 c. flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9-inch square pan with foil and spray with cooking spray. (I didn't line the pan, just sprayed with cooking spray.)

Make the pumpkin filling first. Beat the cream cheese and sugars together with a mixer, then reduce speed and beat in the pumpkin, egg, vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice. Stir in the flour. Set aside.

In a second bowl, beat the butter, salt and sugar until creamy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Stir in the melted chocolate chips, then stir in the flour. Pour all but about 3/4 c. of the chocolate mixture into the pan.

Spoon the pumpkin mixture evenly over the brownies layer. Drop reserved brownie batter over pumpkin to give the brownies a marbled look. Bake on the center rack at 350 for 45-50 minutes or until the brownies test done. That is, when a skewer inserted near the center comes out clean. Let cool for about two hours at room temperature, then chill for a few hours or overnight. Cut into 16 squares.

*I used semisweet chocolate chips because that's what I had in the pantry. I also needed to bake mine close to an hour. I don't have a 9x9 pan, so I used an 8x8 and then put a little of the batter into a small loaf pan. The brownies definitely would have spilled over the top if I had tried to pour it all into the 8x8 pan. Just a warning.