Recipes - Desserts

Kona Mac Tofu Brownies

My Kona Mac Tofu Brownies were pure inspiration! I had just returned from the Big Island of Hawaii where my husband John and I attended the 31st annual Kona Coffee Cultural Festival. During this weeklong festival that celebrates the fall Kona coffee harvest and its cultural traditions dating back to 1828, we attended the Kona Coffee Recipe Contest. After the winners are announced, the audience is invited to sample each of the entries. Wow! Renowned for its robust, nutty flavor, Kona coffee's low caffeine and acid content leave no bitter aftertaste. This makes it an ingredient that can be used in ways that other coffees can't. When I returned home, I discovered that finely ground Kona coffee and Mori-nu tofu make a great low-fat/ low-calorie baking combo that fools the tastebuds and the eye. MoriNu tofu, which takes the place of eggs and some of the fat, gives my brownies a fluffy, cake-like texture. The rich, mocha flavor comes from mingling ground 100% Kona coffee with a high-quality ground cocoa. Applesauce takes the place of most of the fat. If you would like to make this recipe extremely low in fat, leave out the toasted Macadamia nuts.

PREP & BAKING TIME: 45 minutes

1. Preheat oven to 450°F.
2. In the workbowl of your food processor fitted with the metal chopping blade, process all of the dry ingredients except macadamia nuts. Empty the dry ingredients into a small bowl. Stir in macadamia nuts and set aside. Do not clean the work bowl.
3. Replace the work bowl & blade on the food processor. Process the tofu, applesauce, oil and vanilla until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally with a spatula. Add the sugar, coffee and cocoa. Process until smooth.
4. Add the dry mixture all at once. Pulse to blend just until you see all of the dry ingredients are moistened.
5. Spray an 8"x8" baking pan with vegetable baking spray. Using a rubber spatula, scrape the batter into the prepared pan then even out the surface. Sprinkle with chopped nuts as granish if desired. Bake in preheated oven for 22 minutes, or until brownies have pulled away from the sides of the pan and the center springs back when touched with a fingertip. Let cool in pan for 15 minutes before turning out on a cooling rack.