Whole-Wheat Brownies (Chocolate Heaven)

Can't get better than this recipe. My new top brownie recipe - I do like Texas Sheet cake a lot, but this has a richer brownie taste, and you bake in a 8 inch square pan so the brownies are a bit thicker and go quick (even if I am prego!)!!! Also I've been dying to post it as if my house burnt down, I would need to be able to access this brownie recipe when I was feeling sorry for myself.

6 T. (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for pan [I use crisco for pan]
1/2 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)

1/2 cup whole-wheat flour (spooned and leveled) see it's healthy ;)

1/3 cup cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 1/4 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. coarse salt (love sea salt)

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1 cup packed light-brown sugar

1 1/4 cups unsweetened applesauce

1 large egg

8 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped [I used semisweet choc. chips]

1). Preheat oven to 350. Butter an 8-inch square baking dish; line with parchment, leaving a 2 inch overhang on all sides. (never done this trick before and it was heavenly on the clean up and in ease of transitioning into my glass cake stand! - Well worth buying parchment paper). In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, cocoa, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.

2) In a large bowl, stir together sugar, applesauce, and egg. Place butter and 6 ounces chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over (not in) a pot of simmering water; stir until melted. [I use my microwave in 20 sec. intervals for about 3-4 rounds - way easier to me] Stir chocolate mixture into sugar mixture. Stir in flour mixture. Pour into pan and top with 2 ounces chocolate.

3) Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs attached, 40 minutes. Let cool in pan on a wire rack. Use parchment to lift cake from pan and cut into 16 squares. (Store in an airtight container, up to 5 days)

Makes 16

201 cal. per serving/9.2 g fat/2.3 g protein, 31.2 g carb, 2.2 g fiber

From Martha Stewart monthly cooking magazine