Fudgy Flourless Brownies

These easy brownies manage to feel as decadent as truffles and as light as chocolate mousse. The secret is swapping flour for sweetened red adzuki beans, a staple in Asian desserts. Thin-skinned and creamy, the beans become silky smooth when blended, and their toffee-meets-malt sweetness doesn’t taste the least bit beany. Instead, they accentuate the deep richness of chocolate and bake into fudgy goodness.

TIP: The beans are readily available online. Be sure to buy the sweetened variety—and use everything in the can.

makes 16

gluten-free, dairy-free, no nuts

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Coat a 9-inch square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line the bottom and sides with foil or parchment paper and spray again.

2. Melt half of the chocolate with the oil in a medium saucepan over low heat, stirring just until smooth. Remove from the heat.

3. Combine the beans and sugar in a food processor and process until very smooth, scraping the bowl occasionally. Add the cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt and pulse until well incorporated. Add the eggs one at a time, pulsing until incorporated and scraping the bowl after each addition. With the machine running, add the vanilla, then the melted chocolate. Scrape the bowl, add the remaining chocolate, and pulse until evenly distributed. Spread the batter in the prepared pan. Top with the remaining chopped chocolate.

4. Bake the brownies until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Unlike traditional brownies, these will stay fudgy even after the tester comes out clean.

5. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Lift the brownies out of the pan, using the sides of the foil or paper. Cut into 16 squares.

Make Ahead

The brownies will keep at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.