First things first: Happy New Year! L’Shana Tova and all that jazz! Peace out, 5772. 5773 is going to be, like, the best year ever.

So let’s start with something sweet…Chocolate Raspberry Mousse Vegan Brownies anyone?

No? Just me? Just me and a batch of brownies? I’m okay with this. I went to my new gym for the first time last night and ran faster than I ever run because apparently Equinox immediately makes you a better athlete so I’m pretty sure I can eat all these brownies faster than I ever eat brownies because 5773 is going to immediately make me a better brownie eater. All my dreams are coming true.

Best. Year. Ever.

This is an adaptation of my favorite brownie recipe from a book called Tofu 1-2-3 that just so happens to be vegan. The tofu and the raspberry puree make the brownies incredibly moist and almost mousse like, hence the name and whatever. These are definitely not the hockeypuck variety of brownies. They’re just fluffy, gooey, chocolatey, amazing. Like a hacky sack.

The addition of raspberries is simple: one of my favorite friends has a boyfriend (he qualifies as a favorite of mine as well) who is really passionate about having some raspberries in his brownies and I found a chocolate bar at Whole Foods with raspberries in it and seriously 5773 already can’t stop giving.

Also, I can’t think of a single reason to not add fruit to brownies. So let’s do this. To a sweet new year!

Side note: this is going to be the year I buy more pots and/or pans. I can feel it. Making brownies in a round casserole dish is all well and good and using a wok full of boiling water as one half of a double boiler to melt chocolate is impressive if nothing else but COME ON. This is getting ridiculous. These brownies are 3″ deep. And circular.

CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY MOUSSE VEGAN BROWNIES

serves you and 16 of your closest Jewish friends celebrating Rosh Hashanah

Adapted from Tofu 1-2-3

Ingredients:

1 cup of flour of your choice (I did 1/2 c soy flour + 1/2 c oat flour)

1/2 cup cocoa powder

8 packets truvia (or 1/3 cup sugar if you’re into that sort of thing)

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 oz lite silken tofu

3/4 – 1 cup honey (use maple syrup if you’re really into the whole ethical treatment of bees thing or whatever bizarre thing you’re into but mostly just chill already?)

4 tablespoons coconut oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 Chocolove or similar raspberries in dark chocolate bar, melted

200g pureed raspberries

a tablespoon or so of dark chocolate chips for sprinkling

Let’s do these things and then see if we can dip brownies in honey because Rosh Hashanah:

Spray an 8×8 baking dish lightly with cooking spray. I’m jealous that you have an 8×8 baking dish. Preheat your oven to 350.

In a medium bowl, whisk together your flour, cocoa powder, sugar, and salt.

In a food processor or blender, combine the tofu, honey, coconut oil, and vanilla extract and puree until smooth. Add the melted chocolate and process thoroughly. Add this wet ingredient mixture to your bowl of dry ingredients and stir til smooth. Add in the pureed raspberries. Pour your batter into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle your chocolate chips on top of your masterpiece. Bake for 30 minutes or maybe more and let cool for awhile before cutting. For whatever reason, mine took about a million years to bake. Is it 5774 yet? Man. 5773 was a wild year.