IF 2020 TAUGHT Jill Lightner anything — aside from what to sing while washing her hands — it taught her to never take eggs for granted! She’d never experienced a “sold out” sign for a grocery store staple before finding one in an otherwise-empty egg bay. All this to say that Mimi Council’s book, “Effortless Eggless Baking” (Countryman Press, November 2022), has been much appreciated in her kitchen, as her substitutes aren’t difficult to find, complicated to construct or universally expensive. Council’s most common egg replacers involve dairy, sometimes in the form of milk and heavy cream, but often a cultured product such as yogurt, sour cream or buttermilk. Unsweetened applesauce and cornstarch also make appearances. The book includes recipes that don’t typically have eggs, like shortbread; only sometimes have eggs, like scones; and others that nearly always do, like layer cakes and brownies. In the opening chapter, Council writes, “I’ll let you in on a little secret: Eggs can actually make baked goods dry out faster than baked goods without eggs. Why? Because egg whites are mostly water and not fat, and water tends to have a drying effect on baked goods. When you use whole eggs in baked goods, you’re including extra water via those egg whites.” Jill made these brownies easily by hand rather than with the suggested stand mixer, using a whisk when mixing liquids and melting chocolate, and switching to a spatula to blend the dry ingredients. Zero judgment regarding your preferred brownie size, but she cut the pan into 20 brownies, not the nine suggested.
Dark Chocolate Fudgy Brownies
Makes 9 large brownies
¾ cup cane sugar
½ cup packed dark brown sugar
2 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
2/3 cup Dutch cocoa powder
½ cup boiling water
½ cup canola oil
¼ cup chocolate milk
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons organic cornstarch
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
½ teaspoon ground vanilla bean
Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a 9-by-9-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the cane sugar, brown sugar, dark chocolate, cocoa and boiling water, and mix on low until the chocolate and cocoa have completely melted together with the sugar; there should be no chunks of chocolate.
Add the canola oil, chocolate milk, flour, cornstarch, baking powder, sea salt and vanilla bean in that order, and mix on low until combined. Do not overmix. Transfer to the prepared baking pan.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely in the baking pan. Cut into brownies. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Gluten-free: Replace the all-purpose flour with a scant 1 1/3 cups gluten-free flour blend.
High altitude: Bake at 350°F for 18 to 23 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Jill Lightner is a Seattle-based food writer. Her most recent book is “Scraps, Peels and Stems: Recipes and Tips for Rethinking Food Waste at Home.” Website: jilllightner.com. This recipe was posted on SeattleTimes.com.