Fudgy Brownies

There are several competing theories about the origin of brownies (some involving tales of cooks too proud to admit they accidentally omitted the baking powder from their chocolate cake recipes). Brownies received a mention in the 1897 Sears Roebuck Catalog and rose to popularity in the 1920s. Typical brownie recipes might include as much as a stick of butter, but the following recipe contains half that. And while many brownie recipes are chock-full of chocolate, the following recipe gets its rich, chocolate flavor from lower-fat cocoa powder. The lightened version is rich, chewy and fudgy, but gets only 30-percent of its calories from fat.
Instant coffee in the batter intensifies the chocolate flavor. Beating the sugar and eggs together gives the baked brownies a crackly surface.

Ingredients:
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon hot water
2 teaspoons instant coffee granules
1 /4 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup flour
2 /3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 /4 teaspoon salt
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon powdered sugar (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325-degrees.

Place sugar and eggs in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until thick and pale (about five minutes). Combine hot water and coffee granules, stirring until coffee granules dissolve. Add coffee mixture, butter and vanilla extract to sugar mixture; beat at low speed until combined.

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, cocoa and salt, stirring with a whisk. Gradually add flour mixture to sugar mixture, stirring just until moist (batter will be thick).

Spread batter into an 8-inch square baking pan coated with nonstick cooking spray. Bake at 325-degrees for 23 minutes or until brownies spring back when touched lightly in center. Cool in pan on wire rack. Garnish brownies with powdered sugar if desired.

Recipe makes 16 brownies.

Nutrition information per brownie:
Calories: 121
Fat: 4.1g (saturated 2.3)
Protein: 2.4g
Carbohydrates: 20.6g
Fiber: 1.4g
Cholesterol: 34mg
Sodium: 75mg

Courtesy of FitnessandFreebies.com
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