Double Chocolate Stout Brownies

Sneaking stout beer into these brownies helps make them the epitome of chocolate intensity. If possible, select a chocolate-flavoured stout beer. The naturally sweet orange spud produces fudgy, moist brownies with the need for much less sugar and fat such as butter or oil.

1 medium sweet potato, peeled and diced (about 1/2 lb/225 g)
6 oz (170 g) bittersweet baking chocolate, chopped
2 Tbsp (30 mL) unsalted butter
2 large free-range eggs, preferably at room temperature
3/4 cup (180 mL) whole wheat pastry flour
2/3 cup (160 mL) coconut palm sugar or natural cane sugar
1/3 cup (80 mL) unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup (250 mL) stout beer at room temperature
1 tsp (5 mL) cinnamon
1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla extract
1/2 tsp (2 mL) baking powder
1/4 tsp (1 mL) salt
1/2 cup (125 mL) pecans or walnuts, chopped

Steam or boil sweet potato until very tender. Place sweet potato in bowl and mash with potato masher or fork until smooth; set aside to cool.

Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Lightly grease an 8 x 8 x 2 in (20 x 20 x 5 cm) baking pan.

Place chocolate and butter in metal bowl over pot of barely simmering water and stir until melted.

Remove from heat and mix in eggs, one at a time. Gently stir in potato purée, flour, sugar, cocoa powder, beer, cinnamon, vanilla, baking powder, and salt. Fold in nuts.

Place mixture into pan and spread evenly. Bake for 20 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cool several minutes before slicing. 

Makes 16 brownies.

Each serving contains:  178 calories; 3 g protein; 9 g total fat (4 g sat. fat, 0 g trans fat); 21 g carbohydrates; 3 g fibre; 56 mg sodium

source: "Think Outside the Mug", alive #353, March 2012