Friday Foodspiration: Pecan {Birthday} Brownies

Birthday cake is the norm at most parties, but noone at my house is a big cake eater. Cheesecake, apple pie and strawberry shortcake have been the most recent birthday requests.

At Thanksgiving this year, I made a Pecan Pie topped brownie that my son liked so much he has already requested it for his birthday dessert for April. Well, my birthday came up first and I decided this is what I wanted for my birthday (so of course I had to make it for myself).

And since I don’t want to feel like trash for my birthday weekend, I made it gluten, grain, lactose, casein and sugar free. I didn’t taste the “regular” version so I don’t know how they compare, but this one was a winner in my book.

Ingredients:

For Brownies

• 1/2 cup Ghee, softened

• 2/3 cup Sweetener (I used Lakanto Monk fruit)

• 3 large Eggs, at room temperature

• 1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

• 1/2 cup Almond Flour

• 1/3 cup Cacao Powder

• 1 tbsp Grass Fed Gelatin*

• 1/2 tsp Baking Powder

• 1/4 tsp Salt

For Pecan Topping

• 1/4 cup Maple Syrup (I used Lakanto to keep it sugar free)

• 1/2 cup Lakanto Golden Sweetener

• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract

• 1/4 cup Ghee

• 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt

• 1 Egg Yolk, lightly beaten

• 2 cups Pecans, chopped

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and coat an 8×8 inch pan with coconut oil cooking spray.

2. In a mixing bowl, combine ghee, sweetener, eggs, and vanilla until creamy.

3. In a separate bowl whisk together almond flour, cocoa powder, gelatin, baking powder, and salt until well combined. Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until well combined.

4. Spread batter in the prepared pan and bake for 15 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan melt the ghee with the maple syrup and brown sugar. Stir in the vanilla and salt, then allow to cool a few minutes.

6. Whisk in the egg yolk quickly. Turn heat back on low and allow to thicken a few minutes. Stir in pecans and let cool until brownies are ready.

7. Remove brownies from oven after 15 minutes and poor pecan mixture on the top.

8. Return to oven and cook an additional 10 minutes or until pecan topping is set. (I took mine out in 10 minutes and had a bit of a gooey center which I like. 15 minutes would give you a firmer brownie texture)

9. Let brownies cool completely before cutting.

*I use Great Lakes Grass Fed Beef Gelatin. You can omit this ingredient if you don’t have any on hand, but it is the secret to almond flour brownies having the best texture.