Post Title.

Gluten and Dairy Free Brownies with 
Chocolate Frosting

Brownies are my weakness.  I simply adore brownies.  Just hearing the word brownie awakens my senses! Seriously! Ever hear of the phrase "I dream in chocolate?"  Well... I do!  For years my mom made the BAKER's one bowl brownies.  I like these because of the dense, chewy texture.  Once I went GF, I must admit that I had trouble finding a recipe that brought back the memories of of the chocolaty goodness in which I had grown accustom. Therefore, I adapted this one to make it Gluten and Dairy Free.  I also took it a step further and added chocolate chips and frosting!  Oh Yea!

Brownie Ingredients:

• 4 ounces of unsweetened chocolate (semisweet works too)
  
• 3/4 cups of Earth Balance or any type of butter or margarine that you can handle.
• 2 cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 cup sorghum flour
• 1/4 cup potato starch 
• 1/4 cup brown rice flour
• 1/4 cup tapioca starch
• 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• Additional 1 cup chocolate chips ( I use Enjoy Life mini chips)
• 1 cup chopped pecans (Optional)

Heat your oven to 350 degrees

1. Line a 13X9 inch pan with foil or parchment paper. Make sure that there is enough for overhang. This helps you lift the brownies out of the pan.  You can also use a brownie bite pan, like I did in the pictures above. (I was able to get mine for $5.)
2. Combine dry ingredients and whisk together.  Whisking will help incorporate your ingredients evenly so you do not have any lumps.  It is also a little trick to use when you don't feel like sifting each ingredient.
3. Using a microwavable bowl, microwave the four ounces of chocolate and the butter on high for about 2 minutes or until the butter is melted. Stir chocolate until completely melted.
4. Stir in sugar, and beat in eggs and vanilla.
5. Add dry ingredients, chocolate chips, and nuts if you are using them.  Mix until well combined and pour in to prepared pan.
6. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick is inserted and comes out clean. Cool completely, and use the foil or parchment handles to help you pull them out.   

Note: If you are using the brownie bite pan or making these in mini muffin tins, bake these about 20-25 minutes.  You have to watch them a little closer when baking them this way.  When they are cool, pop them out and you are ready to frost! Frosting is completely optional, but makes things sooooo much better in my own humble opinion :)

Chocolate Frosting 
Adapted from Hershey's Perfect Frosting :

• 1/2 cup Earth Balance
• 2/3 cut of gluten free cocoa
• 3 cups (Sifted) powdered sugar
• 1/3 soy, almond, or rice milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Melt butter and place in the bowl of your mixer. If you do not have a stand mixer, you can place the butter in a mixing bowl and use a hand mixer.  Stir in cocoa.  Start mixer on low and alternately add sifted powdered sugar and milk. Mix on medium speed until you have a spreadable consistency. Add more of the milk to suit your needs. Stir in vanilla.  This recipe will yield about 2 cups.

Now you can pipe, glop or drown frosting onto your brownies in whatever manner that will tickle your fancy! 

Just so ya know, there are more brownie recipes up my sleeve.! I will be posting those as well. 

Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderfully fabulous gluten and/or dairy free day!