Whole Wheat Brownies

Source: adapted from a recipe on marthastewart.com, via Pinterest

Ingredients:

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for pan (I used salted butter and should have lowered the added salt later on because they taste a bit salty to me - Gregg didn't notice - but they're still good)

1/2 cup all-purpose flour, (spooned and leveled)

1/2 cup whole-wheat flour (spooned and leveled)

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon coarse salt (see note above about salted butter)

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup packed light-brown sugar

1 1/4 cups unsweetened applesauce

1 large egg

8 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped (I just dumped in some semisweet chocolate chips - what was left in my bag that I didn't measure - maybe 2/3 - 3/4 cup? - and they're plenty chocolatey)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch square baking dish; line with parchment (skipped the parchment and life still went on), leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides. In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, cocoa, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.

In a large bowl, stir together sugar, applesauce, and egg. Place butter and 6 ounces chocolate (see note above about chocolate chips) in a heatproof bowl set over (not in) a pot of simmering water; stir until melted (I just did this in the microwave for 33 seconds - worked like a charm). Stir chocolate mixture into sugar mixture. Stir in flour mixture. Pour into pan and top with 2 ounces chocolate (didn't measure - just sprinkled a few chips on top to look purdy).

Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs attached, 40 minutes (35 for me). Let cool in pan on a wire rack. Use parchment to lift cake from pan and cut into 16 squares (ha! we went for more substantial 9 squares).

Notes:
When I saw Laurel pin this on pinterest a few weeks ago I knew I had to give them a whirl.  I liked the idea of adding whole wheat flour and applesauce (though, seriously, I don't think these really can count as "healthy" despite all that).  The batter texture wasn't really doing it for me (yes, I like to lick the bowl - so sue me), so I was a bit anxious for how they'd turn out cooked.  Turns out you can't judge a brownie by it's batter.  Holy moly were these good.  And fudgy.  And moist.  And thick!  Probably the best "from scratch" brownies I've ever made.  And not too much harder than from a box.  Win!