Yummy Vegan Fudge Brownies

Here is a recipe for brownies that is a little different. It is from the Rebar Cookbook which is a popular Fresh Food restaurant in Victoria. The restaurant offers a variety of healthy fresh choices including soups, salads, and baking which can be vegan, vegetarian...or not... plus they sell some ultra healthy wheat grass drinks which you could not pay me enough to finish. Although extremely healthy, wheat grass...at least to me....is extremely unpalatable. While I have eaten at this restaurant, I had not tried these particular brownies. I was actually intrigued by the glaze recipe more than anything and decided to give the brownie recipe a try as well. These brownies are a moist cakey brownie and are very good......in fact I might be tempted to classify them as a snack cake rather than a brownie. They are however, NOT a fudgy brownie (which is my preference)....but that being said.....I would still definitely make them again. I made the recipe using regular margarine and chocolate chips rather than vegan margarine and carob chips, because I was not about to go and buy vegan margarine and I forgot to pick up carob chips. I did pick up some unsweetened soy milk though, and actually did not mind it's flavour at all. Next time I make the recipe I will increase the amount of margarine in the glaze by another 25% so as to come out with a more liquid glaze.

Vegan Fudge Brownies

1 1/2 cups (360 mL) unbleached flour
1/2 cup (120 mL) cocoa
1 1/2 cups (360 mL) brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp (7.5 mL) baking soda
3/4 tsp (4 mL) baking powder
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup (180 mL) coffee
3/4 cup (180mL) soy milk
1/3 cup (80mL) vegetable oil
1/2 cup (120mL) walnuts, roasted and chopped
1/2 cup (120mL) carob chips

Glaze
7 oz (210g) dark, Belgian Chocolate
5 oz (150g) vegan margarine

Preheat oven to 325 F. Prepare a 9" X 9" pan by greasing it and lining it with parchment paper.

Sift together the flour, cocoa, brown sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, stir together the coffee, soy milk, and vegetable oil. Combine the wet and dry ingredients and stir to mix well. Stir walnuts into the batter. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, sprinkle the top with carob chips, and bake for 25 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool the cake on a wire rack.

When the cake is cool, prepare the glaze. In a double boiler, melt the chocolate and vegan margarine. Whisk together very thoroughly to get a smooth, rather than a streaky finish. Pour the warm glaze over the cake, smoothing it out over the surface. Place the pan in the fridge to set. Divide the pan of brownies into 12 squares and enjoy.