Yay to Brain Normality Brownies!!!

So I mentioned my three stank-ass bananas just the other day. And, oh doubters, I know you've been doubting up a storm thinking all sorts of doubtfulness about my doubtful assertion that I'd post pictures and a recipe. So

IN YOUR FACE-LOVING FACE!!!

The brownies above are actually naked, modified versions of the banana split brownies in Vegan with a Vengeance, but nonetheless: so so so so good. And banana-y. The only major changes I made with the recipe were to account for the fact that I only had 1 and a half cups of mushy bananas. So everything you see listed below for the topping layer: I halved it, and yet it still came out scrumptious. I also didn't slice up bananas to throw on top either. Next time I make these though, I definitely definitely will, because their glorious ooey gooeyness would surely be amped up by a sweet layer of delicious banana slices.

My opinion of the recipe? I have yet to find a vegan brownies recipe that captures the consistency of brownies dead-on. I tried ones that were really really close at Foodgazi. But baking them myself: they always seem more cake-like or (in the opposite extreme), more mush, than your average brownie. That being said: these were lacking in the slightly crumbly density of a heavy-duty brownie, but what they were lacking in density they made up for in both flavor and moistness. They are fudgy and delicious, and I would definitely make them again. With some extra sloppy bananas on top. That's what she said!



INGREDIENTS:

BROWNIES

• 4 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped (or 2/3 c. semisweet chocolate chips)


• 1 c. very ripe banana, mashed (about 2 large)


• 1/3 c. canola oil


• 1 c. sugar


• 1 t. vanilla extract


• 3/4 c. all-purpose flour


• 1/4 c. cocoa powder


• 1/4 t. baking soda


• 1/8 t. salt

TOPPING LAYER

• 1 cup very ripe banana, mashed


• 2 tablespoons sugar


• 1/4 cup soymilk


• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract


• 1 tablespoon arrowroot or corn starch

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Spray a 9x13-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray or very lightly grease with oil. Alternately you can also line your pan with parchment paper.

TO MAKE THE BROWNIE BATTER: Melt the chocolate by placing in a pan or heat-proof mixing bowl over a small pot of boiling water. (Or you can melt it at 50% power in the microwave.) Stir with a heatproof spatula until completely melted, then remove from heat and set aside to cool.

In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 cup of mashed banana, the oil, and the sugar. Use a handheld mixer to beat everything together for about a minute. If you don't have a mixer, use a strong fork and mix for about 3 minutes. Mix in the vanilla and melted chocolate.

In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Add this to the banana mixture in batches, mixing with the hand mixer as you go along. Mix for about 1 minute more.

PREPARE THE BANANA TOPPING: In a small bowl, combine all topping ingredients and mix with the hand mixer (remember to rinse the beaters off first) for about a minute.

TO ASSEMBLE AND BAKE THE BROWNIES: Spread the brownie batter evenly into baking pan. Pour the banana topping over that and spread evenly.

Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

After about 15 minutes, move it to the fridge until fully cooled.

Cut into twelve squares, place a few slices of banana on top of each portion, and serve.


(Recipe from Vegan with a Vengeance, posted at Food.com)