The heavenly combo of chocolate, espresso and buttercream in the best low carb brownie recipe! Over-the-top deliciousness that’s still healthy. This post is sponsored by KitchenAid and Organic Valley.
This is a very special recipe because it marries two of my greatest loves: coffee and butter. And no, it’s not a recipe for bulletproof coffee, that blended coffee butter drink that’s all the rage right now. This recipe is a little more complicated than that. And, I would wager, a little more tasty. Or a lot more tasty, depending on how you feel about butter in your coffee. The real question is, how do you feel about coffee and butter in your brownies? Chances are you feel pretty darn good about that. I feel good about it too, as did the guests we had over for dinner when I served these.
I created this recipe because I got the chance to partner with both KitchenAid and Organic Valley together, which just so happen to be two of my favourite brands. KitchenAid kindly sent me their Nespresso machine to test out and Organic Valley sent me coupons for their delectable Pasture Butter, the seasonally-available butter made from pastured cows. Needless to say, I was in over-caffeinated low carb heaven.
The KitchenAid Nespresso machine is an absolute dream and I wonder now how I ever lived without it. To have fresh espresso at the ready every morning without camping out overnight in your local Starbucks? Priceless. And it’s good espresso too, with a beautiful thick layer of crema on top. You can adjust the size of the shot to your liking, from very small and strong to almost-Americano size, perfect for your intense cappuccinos or your mellow lattes. The machine itself is of wonderful, sturdy quality. The design is slim and sleek and it doesn’t take up much space on your counter, but it’s mostly metal and very heavy. Simply put, it’s the kind of quality you’d expect from KitchenAid. And I am delighted to find that Nespresso has quite an extensive recycling program, with many retailers accepting used pods.
I also highly recommend the milk frother that comes with it. In all my time trying to get a decent froth with various home equipment, I’ve never even come close to this little thing. It’s so quiet, you barely know it’s working, but you take off the lid and you have the most beautifully frothed milk or cream. Since I don’t drink a lot of milk, I use half and half in mine and it works like a charm. I’ve tried heavy cream but it doesn’t get as much froth, although it does warm up nicely so that you can add it to your espresso without cooling the whole drink down. I also tried full fat coconut milk and it worked very well with that too, so you have a dairy-free option.
As for the Organic Valley Pasture Butter, well that is not new to me and hardly needs a “review”. I discovered it a year or two ago and have purchased it numerous times. Because it’s only seasonally available, when the pastured milk is at its peak, I’ve been known to stock up and keep several bricks in the freezer. Truth be told, I haven’t baked with it that much because I tend to hoard it for eating as is, spreading it on low carb muffins and bread. And, admittedly, sometimes just a chunk straight into my mouth. I think it is the best store-bought butter by far, for taste, for creaminess and for healthfulness. It actually contains a higher percentage of butter fat than most butter. No wonder I love it so much! I’ve recommended it many times to readers and friends. But of course, it also bakes up beautifully as well and made for some of the most divine espresso buttercream frosting in the world. I suspect that when I die, they will have to prise bricks of Pasture Butter out of my hands.
So these low carb brownies are the perfect marriage of two wonderful products that I recommend without reservation. And they were some of the most delicious brownies I’ve ever made, so I also recommend them without reservation. They were the hit of the party and I sent my guests home with some for later. I kind of regret that, actually. Hey, can I have them back?
Disclosure: This post is sponsored content. KitchenAid provided the Nespresso machine and Organic Valley compensated me for my recipe. All opinions truly are my own. I don’t effuse about products like this unless I truly love them!
- 1 1/3 cup almond flour
- 1 cup Swerve Sweetener (more if you like it sweeter)
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup Organic Valley Pasture Butter
- 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate chopped
- 5 large eggs
- 3/4 cup espresso or strongly brewed coffee about 2 medium-sized Nespresso shots, cooled
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup Pasture Butter softened
- 2 cups powdered Swerve Sweetener
- 1/4 to 1/3 cup espresso or strongly brewed coffee (about 1 small Nespresso shot, cooled)
- 2 tsp Pasture Butter
- 1/4 cup sugar-free chocolate chips
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Preheat oven to 300F and grease a 9x13 inch baking pan well.
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In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, sweetener, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.
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In a medium saucepan, melt butter and unsweetened chocolate together over low heat, stirring until smooth. Add to almond flour mixture.
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Stir in eggs, cooled espresso and vanilla extract until well combined. Pour batter into prepared baking pan and smooth the top.
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Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until just set in the center. 25 minutes for more fudgy brownies, 30 minutes for more cakey brownies. Remove and let cool completely.
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In a large bowl, beat butter and sweetener together until well combined. Slowly pour in cooled espresso, beating until a spreadable consistency is achieved.
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Spread frosting over cooled brownies and refrigerate until set, about 1 hour.
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In a microwave safe bowl, combine butter and chocolate chips. Heat on high in 30 second increments, stirring in between, until smooth.
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Use a spoon to drizzle over frosted brownies.
Serves 20. Each serving has 5.3 g of carbs and 2.62 g of fiber. Total NET CARBS = 2.68 g.
Food energy: 216kcal
Total fat: 19.70g
Calories from fat: 177
Cholesterol: 78mg
Carbohydrate: 5.30g
Total dietary fiber: 2.62g
Protein: 4.51g
Sodium: 180mg
