Another Speedy Bake package came to my rescue when the sweets cravings hit our household, the Fudge Brownie Mix.  Though they are not quite as good of a value as the full sized Gluten-Free Essentials mixes, the smaller size makes the perfect amount for our two-person household, an 8x8 pan.  Likewise, I suppose it is well sized for the little hands it is intended for. 

I went to prepare the batch, with ½ stick of Earth Balance Buttery Sticks, 1 egg, and… shoot … just one week in the fridge and my applesauce went moldy!  I had never had this happen before.  But with my “butter” already melted and a grumpy husband hungrily waiting, it was time to improvise.  Of course, peanut butter!  Since Speedy Bake mixes are for the nut allergic too, I think SunButter (a brand of sunflower butter) would work equally well.  Rather than the 1/3 cup applesauce, I filled my 1/3 cup just over ½ way full with creamy peanut butter, and the rest of the way with rice milk. 

Surprisingly, I actually liked the density that the peanut butter added to the brownies.  The other GF Essentials Brownies I had tried were gobbled up with fury, but for my personal tastes they were just a bit too cakey, and consequently just a touch crumbly.  This nut butter spiked batch leaned a bit more toward fudgy (I would say they were just barely on the cake-side), and were quite literally one of the most cohesive gluten-free baked goodies I had ever seen.  Nary a crumb fell as my dull knife glided with ease through the perfectly cooked interiors.  The results made me look like a pastry chef!

My husband immediately noticed the peanut butter influence, but this didn’t slow him down.  He polished off ¼ of the pan before I had the chance to take my first bite!  I do think my adaptation made for a grainier brownie, it had almost a “made with whole wheat flour” vibe. Otherwise, they were soft and chewy, as a brownie should be. The peanut butter also neutralized a bit of the cocoa taste, but since I am not a huge chocolate fan, I found the overall flavor very appealing.  Of course, I don’t think that the brownies are overwhelmingly cocoa regardless, I assume because they are geared for more sensitive young taste buds. Oh yes, and the big chocolate chip spikes throughout were a nice touch. 

My Extra Notes and Tips:

• All mixes from Gluten-Free Essentials are touted as dairy-free, nut-free, soy-free, and obviously gluten-free.  This mix does contain soy lecithin within the chocolate chips, which is seldom a problem for soy allergies and intolerances.
• Though the mix instructions call for one egg, the people at Gluten-Free Essentials have successfully used various egg replacers in trials.
• Ingredients are viewable on the Gluten-Free Essentials Website.

Where to Purchase:  All GF Essentials baking mixes can be purchased directly on the Gluten-Free Essentials Website.

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