This is a chocolaty, rich, gluten-free brownie with an added ingredient – soy sauce – that gives this treat deep caramel notes.
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A traditional brownie is a joyous treat, a source of dependable comfort. But that doesn’t mean that a completely different kind of pleasure can’t be created from a classic treat.
Soy sauce might seem like an unusual addition, but when we think about it, it makes perfect sense. Everyone knows that chocolate tastes better with a pinch of salt. Salt brings out the chocolate’s natural sweetness and masks any bitterness. In this brownie recipe, we substitute soy sauce for salt, and the result is even more spectacular.
Why Add Soy Sauce to a Brownie?
Soy sauce, the salty condiment made by fermenting soybeans and wheat, does double duty in this brownie – adding sweetness but also a deep caramel flavor that accentuates the intensity of the chocolate. The brownie tastes roasted and woody, but fruity at the same time.
I first developed the recipe a few years ago, shortly after moving to Brooklyn, New York from Sydney, Australia. Feeling homesick, I added some Vegemite to my brownies, the polarizing Australian yeast extract that’s also very salty.
When I posted the recipe on my website, it raised some eyebrows, but suddenly home cooks were trying and loving it. The Vegemite gives the brownies a complex depth of flavor. This early iteration eventually resulted in these soy sauce brownies with a flavor reminiscent of the salty bitterness of salted caramel.
There are two schools of thought when it comes to brownies: cakey or fudgy. This one falls to the side of fudge, the center is soft and creamy with an irresistible nuttiness from the almond flour.
Nuts are a wonderful way to add an extra layer of flavor and texture to your brownies. You could also experiment with other nut flours like hazelnut or pistachio, all of which would offer you a pleasing variety of nutty flavors. The nuts provide a softer texture, so I like that Leave this brownie in the fridge overnight, this will firm it up a bit and make it easier to cut.
The other thing I love about this brownie is that it’s gluten free. Regular soy sauce contains gluten, so opt for a gluten-free tamari or soy sauce. You can also use a product like liquid or coconut aminos that are naturally gluten-free.
How to store flourless brownies
These brownies will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
About To Asia With Love
To Asia with Love: Everyday Asian Recipes and Stories from the Heart by Hetty McKinnon is a vibrant cookbook packed with modern, family-friendly vegetarian dishes. McKinnon draws on her cultural heritage as a child of Chinese immigrants growing up in Australia to create fresh and interesting recipes that are rooted in tradition. The recipes are accessible and familiar, but also push the boundaries of what it means to cook Asian flavors at home.
More recipes from Hetty McKinnon, author of To Asia with Love
- Seaweed Lettuce Salad
- Grilled cabbage with peanut sauce
Hetty McKinnon’s Flourless Soy Sauce Brownies
Reprinted with permission from To Asia with Love by Hetty McKinnon. Copyright © 2021. Published by Prestel Verlag, a member of Penguin Random House.
ingredients
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1st floor (8th Tablespoon) unsalted butter
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1 Cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate bits
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1 Cup almond flour
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3 tablespoon cocoa powder
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1/2 teaspoon baking powder
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3 big eggs
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1 Cup Brown sugar
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2 teaspoon vanilla extract
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3 to 4 teaspoon Tamari or gluten-free soy sauce
method
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Preheat the oven and prepare the baking pan:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 9-inch square baking pan.
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Melt the butter and chocolate over a water bath:
In a large glass bowl (one that is completely dry and clean), place the butter and chocolate over a saucepan of simmering water (don’t let the bottom of the bowl touch the water).
Leave until melted, then stir until smooth. Remove from the stove and let cool for 5 minutes.
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Combine the dry ingredients:
In another bowl, whisk together the almond flour, cocoa powder, and baking powder.
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Combine the wet ingredients:
In a third bowl, whisk together eggs, brown sugar, vanilla extract, and soy sauce.
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Whisk together the egg and chocolate and fold in the dry ingredients:
Slowly stir the egg mixture into the cooled chocolate mixture until well combined. Fold in the dry ingredients.
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Put the dough in the prepared form, bake:
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25 minutes. Remove and let cool completely in the pan (I like to leave it in the fridge overnight for easier handling).
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Cut, serve or store:
Cut into 12-16 pieces (depending on how big you like them). Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
| nutritional information (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 232 | calories |
| 15g | Fat |
| 22g | carbohydrates |
| 4g | protein |
