A tour of the famous USS Midway in San Diego California led us to the kitchen and an interesting find--prune brownies!
What are prune brownies?
The USS Midway was the longest serving naval aircraft carrier during the 20th century. It sailed during the Cold War, Vietnam, and Desert Storm and was in commission from 1945 to 1992. Today, you can visit and walk through the USS Midway museum.
As we toured the Midway, we hit the kitchen. I glanced at the sample menu of the recipes served. My husband, Dad and grandfather served in the military and always said the food was gross. My Dad was a military cook, and at home he often threw together random food and called it a meal.
So I flipped through the menu to see why the food was so gross. I found a recipe for fudgy brownies on the USS Midway that had an interesting ingredient--prune puree! They weren't fudgy brownies at all, they were prune brownies!
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Ingredients
There are times I've had some fun and hidden some interesting fruits and vegetables in desserts before. I've made broccoli brownies before. But today I was going to use prunes! Prunes have famously been used to help improve digestion (laxative!), bone health, antioxidant protection, and more. This recipe uses prune puree, frozen egg whites and the basic staples of brownies too including sugar, cocoa powder and flour.
Instructions
This recipe has you make a prune puree and then use it to make your brownie batter. The recipe here is a little different than the USS Midway one. We made sure to scale it down to be more appropriate for making a single batch of brownies rather than a whole ship crew!
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Why do you put prune puree in brownies?
One theory I have comes from my former job in the health field. Occasionally I would have a patient request some prune juice to help them out after surgery because:
- Prunes = natural laxative.
The other two theories make sense too:
- Inexpensive...prunes are pretty cheap!
- It can make the brownies healthier and keeps them moist. The prunes are also tasteless. You can also decrease the amount of sugar and fat you use in the recipe (expensive ingredients and often sugar were rationed during war time).
Which theory do you believe the most?
Substitutions
You can make some substitutions to this recipe for any dietary needs or concerns. Here are some simple ways to make substitutions:
- Gluten free: substitute gluten free flour.
- Dairy free: You will want to substitute dairy free butter.
- Vegan: You will need to substitute the eggs with egg replacer. You may also need to substitute the butter with a plant based butter.
Storing
Store prune brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, you can refrigerate them for up to a week or freeze them for up to 3 months.
FAQ
Yes, you can substitute prunes with dates or applesauce for a similar effect. Both alternatives will provide natural sweetness and moisture.
Absolutely! You can add nuts, chocolate chips, or dried fruit to the batter for added texture and flavor. Just fold in your desired additions before baking.
Just like our broccoli brownies, I didn't think these had a weird taste to them. The kids didn't even notice. You can serve them with some chipped beef which has long been a family staple in our house and was also included in the USS Midway tour cookbook! 
Prune Brownies
Equipment
- 8x8 inch brownie pan
Ingredients
- 1 cup prunes pitted
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup butter 1 stick, melted
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 whole eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup all purpose flour
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Step 1: Prepare the Prune Puree
- Simmer the Prunes: In a small saucepan, combine the prunes and water. Simmer over medium heat for about 10 minutes, or until the prunes are soft and the water is mostly absorbed.
- Blend the Prunes: Transfer the prunes and any remaining liquid to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth to create a prune puree.
- Step 2: Mix the Wet Ingredients
- Combine Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter and sugar until well combined.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- Step 3: Mix the Dry Ingredients
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.
- Step 4: Combine and Bake
- Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
- Add Prune Puree: Fold the prune puree into the batter until evenly distributed.
- Pour into Pan: Pour the batter into a greased 8x8 inch baking pan, spreading it evenly.
- Bake: Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the brownies to cool in the pan before cutting into squares. Enjoy the rich, moist brownies with a glass of milk or a cup of coffee.
burntapple
Interesting find! Not sure that I would try them though and would probably want to warn my friends if I were giving them to them!