Dark chocolate brownies that stand up to spelt flour

I love to bake. It’ so relaxing and satisfying that I don’t even care if I eat what I bake, which I sometimes don’t if I make it with conventional ingredients. When I do eat the healthier things that I bake, I’m rarely disappointed, because to me they taste great.

I do have just one little complaint, though. Sometimes, when I substitute my sprouted spelt flour, the brownies can be a little… dry. I’ve tried increasing the oils, the liquids, everything, and it doesn’t seem to matter with some recipes. It’s brownies and blondies that tend to be the problem; cookies come out fine.

Since last Tuesday, my friend Michelle holds a place nearer and dearer to my heart than she already did, for she baked Whole Food’s moist and decadent dark chocolate brownies — and she used spelt flour and organic sugar — and they were perfect.

You have to understand that no matter what Michelle bakes, it tastes better than the most swanky wedding cake, the most la-de-da chocolate truffle, better than almost anything baked you’ve ever eaten. Keith has often said after a get-together that we should just hire her as our personal pastry chef. In fact, I think that sometimes Michelle passes on her recipes with an ingredient or two missing, because somehow it never tastes as good as when she bakes it. Sneaky….

This time, she gave me a link to the brownie recipe, so I know she couldn’t leave anything out … although she may have added something she didn’t tell me about. Regardless, this was a perfect brownie. And it came to my taste buds — and my psyche — just when I needed it most. That’s another think about Michelle; she’s got hormone radar or something.

Michelle, I don’t just love you for your baking, but it sure does make me love you more!