Cucumber Brownie is perfect for feeding kids some veggie goodness. Hide the vegetables, and grains in the brownies and let your kids enjoy the brownie along with some needed nutrition.
Check more hide-vegetable-in-brownies here – spinach brownies, amaranth brownies.
My love for brownies is directly proportional to V’s un-love for them. I really wouldn’t call it hate, coz he enjoys them quite a bit with whole works – sizzling, warm with a scoop of ice cream, and meting in the mouth chocolate sauce. Who wouldn’t??
But I enjoy them just as much without the jing-jang. I like them for their chocolatey taste, for being dense, and for being laden with walnuts. That’s me, I guess.
When Priya left for her hometown a couple of months ago due to an emergency, she cleaned her fridge and gave me loads of veggies. I am not a great fan of cucumber and here are our un-love matches, even V doesn’t like it. I had roughly 8 cucumbers to use. You can imagine my dilemma, so I did what I do best – converted those cucumbers into gooey, decadent brownies.
I followed my basic recipe which I always fall back on here and the whole wheat version here.
These brownies confirm my belief that with chocolate you can blend any ingredient in your pantry and whip up the best of snacks. You can substitute cucumber with spinach, oats, fruits like strawberries, etc. The options are limitless.
If you have any ingredient that you want to use and are stuck, leave a comment I might be able to help you create a recipe that everyone in your family will love.
The best brownie recipe is here!
Cucumber Brownie
Ingredients
- 2 cup cucumber washed & grated
- 3 tbsp water
- 2 tbsp flaxmeal flax seed powder
- 1¼ cup whole wheat flour
- ½ cup amaranth flour
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- 7 tbsp cocoa powder unsweetened
- 125 gram dark chocolate chopped or chocolate chips
- 1 tsp instant espresso powder
- ¾ tsp salt
- ¼ cup boiling water
- ¼ cup jaggery powder
- 6 tbsp butter softened
- 1½ tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup walnuts chopped
Instructions
- In a small bowl whisk together the water (3 tablespoon) and flax meal. Let it sit for about 10 minutes till it becomes frothy. This mixture is called flaxseed egg. Coat the chopped walnuts with little flour to avoid sinking to the bottom. In a medium bowl whisk together flour and baking soda. Keep aside.
- Preheat oven to 180 °C. Line & grease an 8X8 inch baking dish. Allow overhang on all sides for easy lifting of brownies after baking.
- In another medium bowl add the cocoa powder, chocolate, coffee and salt. Add boiling water and mix in the ingredients into a paste using a spoon. Make sure that chocolate pieces are melted. Add jaggery powder, butter, vanilla extract and flax meal egg into the chocolate mixture until smooth.
- Stir in the walnuts if you’re using them along with grated cucumber. Using a wooden spoon, mix in the flour until well combined. The mixture becomes extremely thick and you may need to use your hands to mix. Don’t mix the dough with an electric mixer at this point. It will overwork the dough and gluten will form, in turn affecting the texture of the brownies.
- Transfer the batter to the baking dish, using a silicone spatula press the thick dough into place. Bake for 30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for an hour. Transfer the brownies to the wire rack by lifting the overhang. Allow them to cool completely before slicing into squares.
- Serve with powdered sugar or ice-cream or sauce or eat them off the rack. Enjoy!
Notes
- You can use brown sugar in place of powdered jaggery.
- The trick of perfect brownies lie in 2 things. One is not over-bake them, otherwise they become cake like and not chewy.
- Second is to allow them to cool completely (no matter how tempted you are) before slicing. Also use a plastic knife and not a serrated knife. I use the cheap plastic knives which are given with store-bought cakes.
FAQs
Chocolate brownies are a popular dessert consisting of a rich, dense, and fudgy cake-like square. They are typically made with cocoa powder, chocolate, sugar, butter or oil, eggs, and flour, and often include additional ingredients like nuts or chocolate chips. Brownies come in various textures and flavors, ranging from chewy and fudgy to cake-like and moist, depending on the recipe and baking method used. Personal preference also plays an important role in their appearance and texture.
The origins of brownies are somewhat unclear, but they are believed to have originated in the United States in the late 19th or early 20th century. Brownies are versatile and can be customized with different ingredients, such as adding peanut butter, caramel, or fruit, to create a variety of flavor combinations. They are often enjoyed as a dessert or snack, served plain or with toppings like ice cream, whipped cream, or a dusting of powdered sugar.
Hot sizzling brownie is a favorite dessert for several reasons:
1. Contrasting Temperatures: The combination of a hot, freshly baked brownie and ice cream creates a delightful temperature contrast that appeals to the senses. The warm, gooey brownie paired with the cold, creamy ice cream makes for a satisfying and indulgent dessert experience.
2. Texture Contrast: The crispy, sizzling sound that occurs when the hot brownie is placed on a sizzling skillet adds to the sensory experience. The crispy edges of the brownie contrast with the soft, fudgy interior, creating a textural delight with each bite.
3. Rich Flavor Profile: Brownies are inherently rich and chocolatey, making them a decadent treat on their own. When served hot and sizzling, the flavors are intensified, providing an even more indulgent experience.
4. Customization: Hot sizzling brownies can be customized with various toppings and accompaniments, such as whipped cream, chocolate sauce, caramel sauce, nuts, or fresh fruit. This allows individuals to tailor their desserts to their personal preferences, adding layers of flavor and texture.
5. Visual Appeal: The presentation of a hot sizzling brownie, often served in a skillet or on a hot plate with steam rising and ice cream melting, is visually striking and enticing. It adds to the overall experience and creates anticipation for the delicious dessert about to be enjoyed.
Overall, the combination of contrasting temperatures, textures, rich flavors, customization options, and visual appeal makes a hot sizzling brownie a favorite dessert for many people, offering a memorable and indulgent treat. It is often seen as a common treat enjoyed by digging in directly from the serving hot plate.
Sizzling brownie with ice cream is a versatile dessert that can be enjoyed on various occasions. Here are some occasions when sizzling brownie with ice cream makes for a delightful treat:
1. Dinner Parties: Serve a sizzling brownie with ice cream as a show-stopping dessert at dinner parties to impress your guests. Its visual appeal and indulgent flavors make it perfect for special occasions.
2. Date Nights: Share a sizzling brownie with ice cream with your significant other for a romantic and indulgent dessert during a cozy date night at home or a restaurant.
3. Celebrations: Celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, or other special milestones with sizzling brownie and ice cream. Its decadent flavors and festive presentation are perfect for marking important occasions.
4. Family Gatherings: Treat your family to a sizzling brownie with ice cream during family gatherings or holiday celebrations. It’s a crowd-pleasing dessert that will satisfy everyone’s sweet tooth.
5. Dessert Cravings: Indulge in a sizzling brownie with ice cream whenever you’re craving a decadent and comforting dessert. Whether it’s a weekday treat or a weekend indulgence, it’s sure to hit the spot.
Well, there’s no wrong time to enjoy sizzling brownie with ice cream. Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion or simply satisfying a dessert craving, a sizzling brownie with ice cream is a delicious and indulgent treat that can be enjoyed anytime.a
A chocolate brownie cake is a hybrid dessert that combines the rich, fudgy texture of a brownie with the decadent layers of a cake. It typically features the dense, moist consistency of a brownie but is baked in cake form, often in round cake pans or as a single-layer sheet cake.
Here are some key characteristics of a chocolate brownie cake:
1. Texture: Like traditional brownies, a chocolate brownie cake tends to have a dense and fudgy texture, but it may be slightly lighter and softer compared to a regular brownie due to its cake-like structure.
2. Flavor: Chocolate brownie cakes are intensely chocolatey, with a rich cocoa flavor that comes from cocoa powder or melted chocolate in the batter. They may also include chocolate chips or chunks for added richness and texture.
3. Size and Shape: Chocolate brownie cakes can be baked in various sizes and shapes, including round cake pans, square baking dishes, or as sheet cakes. They can be served as single-layer cakes or stacked and layered with frosting or ganache for a more elaborate presentation.
4. Toppings and Decorations: Chocolate brownie cakes can be decorated with a variety of toppings and decorations, such as chocolate ganache, whipped cream, chocolate shavings, fresh berries, or chopped nuts. They may also be drizzled with caramel or chocolate sauce for extra indulgence.
A chocolate brownie cake offers the best of both worlds— the rich, chocolatey flavor of a brownie combined with the celebratory appeal of a cake. It’s a versatile and delicious dessert that’s perfect for any occasion, from casual gatherings to special celebrations.
Cant believe it !!!!! brownies from cucumber? heard first time but it seems tasty.
It really was tasty. :)
Hi Deepali,
Firstly, Thank you for an amazingly healthy recipe..
I tried the cucumber brownie yesterday. My brownies were hard on the edges and fine from inside. I followed the recipe to the T. Dont know where I went wrong..
Can you suggest something ?
Thanks
Thanks for your feedback Chandni and I am glad they turned out great for you. Regarding the edges, I think you may try reducing the baking time by 2-3 minutes next time. The time settings vary oven to oven and it may so happen that these brownies were done faster in yours than mine.