EatingWell Fudge Brownies

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

2. Melt chocolate and butter in a double boiler over barely simmering water or in the microwave.

3. Whisk flour, cocoa and salt in a medium bowl.

4. Beat egg whites, eggs and sugar in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer or whisk until smooth. Add applesauce, oil and vanilla; beat until blended. Add the chocolate-butter mixture; beat until blended. Add the flour mixture and mix at low speed just until moistened. Stir in chocolate chips. Scrape the batter into the prepared baking dish, spreading evenly. Sprinkle with nuts, if desired.

5. Bake the brownies until the top springs back when touched lightly, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. Cut into bars.

Variation:

For a mocha flavor, in Step 4 stir in 4 teaspoons instant coffee granules dissolved in 2 tablespoons hot water.

Ingredient Notes: Whole-wheat pastry flour is milled from soft wheat. It contains less gluten than regular whole-wheat flour and helps ensure a tender result in delicate baked goods while providing the nutritional benefits of whole grains. Available in large supermarkets and in natural-foods stores. Store in the freezer.

Dried egg whites are pasteurized so this product is a wise choice in dishes that call for an uncooked meringue. They are also convenient in recipes calling for egg whites because there is no waste. Look for brands like Just Whites in the baking or natural-foods section of most supermarkets.

Substitution Note: Sugar substitution:

Those watching their calorie and carbohydrate intake can replace 11/3 cups brown sugar with 2/3 cup Splenda Sugar Blend for Baking for a savings of 19 calories and 7 grams carbohydrate per brownie.

Substituting with Splenda: In the EatingWell Test Kitchen, sucralose is the only alternative sweetener we test with when we feel the option is appropriate. For nonbaking recipes, we use Splenda Granular (boxed, not in a packet). For baking, we use Splenda Sugar Blend for Baking, a mix of sugar and sucralose. It can be substituted in recipes (1/2 cup of the blend for each 1 cup of sugar) to reduce sugar calories by half while maintaining some of the baking properties of sugar. If you make a similar blend with half sugar and half Splenda Granular, substitute this homemade mixture cup for cup.

When choosing any low- or no-calorie sweetener, be sure to check the label to make sure it is suitable for your intended use.