Don't tell ANYONE your new secret! You've seen recipes for warm fudgey brownies all over Pinterest, just to your dispair. "All you have to do is grind up a few tablespoons of chia seeds and mix with 1/2 cup of agar agar powder, 2 tbsp cold-pressed organic coconut oil..." Where does one get all these crazy awesome ingredients that I don't know how to use? Personally, I crave the taste of my family's traditional non-vegan fluffy brownies. Their super thin crinkly top, thick fudgey second layer, fluffy and uber chocolatey middle, and dense sticky and extra chocolatey-er bottom layer. *shivers* What's a vegan girl to do on a choco-rampage!
My family recipe uses the boxed mix. k? Don't judge me. They just taste unhealthy, good for the soul. Everybody at school still literally begs me for days to make them a batch at least twice a year. Some of my friends manage to share a crumb to other students and I have seriously had classmates who do drugs swear there was pot in them...
ANYWAY--I have searched and tried and tried and tried myriad egg substitutes. Applesauce is a good oil replacement, with no 'lift'. Baking soda & vinegar tastes funny. Bananas make the mix taste like, well, bananas. Ener-G egg replacer left me with a bubbly chewey slop in the pan. I almost gave up until I tried Morinaga silken tofu! Tofu works because it can be mixed into anything and becomes firm when baked. Also, you don't taste it at all! I get weird looks from non-vegans but just make them try the brownies before you tell them there is tofu in them. Annnd it's super cheap at a meager $2 per box.
ANYWAY--I have searched and tried and tried and tried myriad egg substitutes. Applesauce is a good oil replacement, with no 'lift'. Baking soda & vinegar tastes funny. Bananas make the mix taste like, well, bananas. Ener-G egg replacer left me with a bubbly chewey slop in the pan. I almost gave up until I tried Morinaga silken tofu! Tofu works because it can be mixed into anything and becomes firm when baked. Also, you don't taste it at all! I get weird looks from non-vegans but just make them try the brownies before you tell them there is tofu in them. Annnd it's super cheap at a meager $2 per box.
**it's very important you use silken tofu found on shelves, not in the refrigerator section. This type is specifically for blending.
Here's how to make the best darn brownies on planet Earth for less than $7 per double batch!
- 2 boxes brownie or cake mix (Duncan Hines Dark Chocolate Fudge is vegan)
- Any ingredients your box mix calls for
- 12.3 Oz silken tofu (about 1/4 cup per egg needed)
Preheat the oven to box directions. Open the tofu package and tip out the excess water. Scoop out the tofu into the blender and whiz until you get a pudding consistency, then add any spices/ nuts right in (what I add is a secret, sorry). Now prepare the brownie or cake mix according to the manufacturer's directions. "Ceptin, I think there are... veganized brownies within range!"
**Tips: I suggest combining any oil and water ingredients in the same measuring cup for less mess. You can also add a bit of sugar to the tofu; use any leftovers for vegan pudding. It's ok to lick the batter spoon; no eggs= no salmonella, no rotting animal products, just guilty smiles!;)
**Tips: I suggest combining any oil and water ingredients in the same measuring cup for less mess. You can also add a bit of sugar to the tofu; use any leftovers for vegan pudding. It's ok to lick the batter spoon; no eggs= no salmonella, no rotting animal products, just guilty smiles!;)
Qapla'! Your brownies will even sabotage Klingon, guaranteed!