I was watching a cooking show I really like the other night called Spice Goddess. The “Spice Goddess,” herself was making something called Besan Ladoo. I was immediately drawn in and inspired to create my own version of this interesting dessert. I omitted the Indian spices and, in lieu of nuts, I used chocolate. And the result was incredibly delicious!
Bean flours offer a very flavorful and nutritious alternative to other flours. The garbanzo flour used here is rich in protein and iron! (Bear that in mind as you add the butter and sugar!)
My boys and all of their buddies loved these — and I have to say, I’m guilty of polishing them off! And, yay, another gluten-free dessert for my son and husband who are gluten-free!
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup (1 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter
- 2 cups garbanzo flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Preparation:
Makes 3 dozen
Total Prep and Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Line an 8 X 8 baking dish with foil and set aside.
In a medium-sized saute pan, melt the butter over low-medium heat. Whisk in the flour and combine. Continue to whisk on and off, for about 15 minutes, until it’s a deep golden brown color and is very aromatic.
While the flour is cooking, combine the sugar, water, vanilla and salt in a small sauce pan. Cook over medium heat only to dissolve the sugar and salt, for about 3 minutes.
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the sugar mixture with the flour mixture and immediately add all but 1/2 cup of the chocolate chips. Mix only to swirl the chocolate — do not blend it all the way in! Pour this into the foil-lined baking dish, spread it evenly and pour the remaining chocolate chips over the top. Let it cool to room temperature and then refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Slice into tiny squares and serve!
An additional note:
Garbanzo flour is available at Whole Foods, Indian markets, and online.
