We were in Queen Viv’s car one night driving through Kings Cross to drop off Miss America in nearby Potts Point. Her car ambled slowly down Darlinghurst Road, past the bouncers and ladies of the night and stopped at a pedestrian crossing.
“Do you remember the night where you ran over that guy’s foot just here?” Miss America asked Queen Viv.
“You what?” Mr NQN and I said in unison knowing Queen Viv’s Wacky Races style of driving.
“Oh yes! The fool was so drunk that he just stepped out onto the road!” Miss America. “It really wasn’t her fault…this time” he said winking.
Queen Viv laughed loudly and shrieked “You know, that is one of my favourite memories!!” She truly has a great sense of humour and an appreciation for the absurd. Later that night, I thought about it and I can say that all of my closest friends have a cracking good sense of humour and an appreciation for the downright silly and quirky.
For instance, they would not turn their nose up at something odd. Even if I slipped a package wrapped in dancing girls across the table at them and told them that they were not ordinary brownies but brownies with a secret ingredient (and no, nothing illegal), they would dive in unhesitatingly.
I was meeting some blogger friends, all of which I can confirm have a great sense of humour and I always try and bring something if I can, even if it’s something small. That morning I decided was as good a time as any to try a recipe I had bookmarked on Ros’s lovely baking blog Morethantheoccasionalbaker. It was for a low fat brownie with mayonnaise as the secret ingredient. Low fat mayonnaise replaces butter in the brownie and makes it deliciously chocolatey and still low fat. She calls them Posh Brownies, I thought because of either the low fat content or because it might actually stand a chance of being something that Victoria Beckham might eat (ok who am I fooling, I doubt she eats any sort of brownie).
The brownies themselves are really quite lovely and light, not quite as gooey sticky and indulgent as a full butter sugar and egg concoction but certainly at no stage do they taste low fat or cardboardey. They’re probably in between cake and brownie and the saved calories might have you reconsidering any sort of prejudices against mayonnaise in food.
So tell me Dear Reader, do you think celebrities eat brownies? Do you think they’re just very lucky with their metabolism or do you think they just don’t eat?
Psst! The English toffee bits were a delightful gift from my “adopted” mum Barbara from Barbara Bakes and the tea cosy was a gift from chef Joe Gambacorta at the Tea Salon in Westfields. The Tea Salon’s owner Jill Jones Evans’ mother in law makes them. Aren’t they amazing?
Low Fat Chocolate Brownies
- 100g/3.5 ozs dark chocolate (I used Lindt Coconut Intense)
- 3/4 cup plain all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup brown sugar (firmly packed)
- 1/2 cup caster or superfine sugar
- 4 tablespoons cocoa
- 1/2 teaspoon bi carbonate of soda
- 2 eggs
- 6 tablespoons mayonnaise (light will also work to make it lower in fat but use whole egg and not that vinegary stuff from yesteryear)
- 3 tablespoons milk soured with a squeeze of lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup butterscotch chips, chopped nuts or chocolate chips
1. Preheat oven to 180C/350F and line a large loaf tin or 19x19cm square tin with baking parchment. In a microwave or double boiler, melt the chocolate and allow to cool while you get on with the rest of the recipe. In a bowl, add the flour, brown sugar, white sugar and cocoa and stir to mix until incorporated. In a jug whisk the eggs, mayonnaise, milk and vanilla and add this to the flour mixture. Add chips and stir to combine.
Note the extraneous drip. I’m so not Martha Stewart! 
2. Place in the prepared tin smoothing down the top and bake for 30 minutes. If you like them gooey you can take them out slightly underdone or if you prefer them cooked through, test with a skewer until it comes out clean. Slice into squares and serve.
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74 Comments | Add your own
Delicious looking! An original recipe. I have never baked with mayo…
Cheers,
Rosa
I have seen so many brownies recipe but I love that you added English Toffee bits in it and I was also surprised by mayonnaise! WOW, I thought Japanese is the only one who like to put mayonnaise as a hidden seasoning.
This brownie looks REALLY good Lorraine!
I have a low fat brownie recipe from year’s ago (I think I’ve blogged about it, 2-bite brownies), but like these brownies they have an enormous amount of sugar. Having said that, a little chocolate treat never hurt anyone. That tea cozy is adorable, it looks organic.
Celebrities who eat brownies, well, one could be Roseanne Barr.
They were delicious! And no-one could pick the secret ingredient! Thanks for sharing them with us..
Wouldn’t using butter still be healthier? I ask as the mayonaise in my fridge is full of all sorts of weird and wonderful ingredients.
I’ve never tried making brownies with mayo – I have tried them with yogurt and had great results. Love the toffee bits here
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I’m not sure about most celebrities but I don’t suppose Victoria Beckham eats brownies, low fat or not. I think it takes serious restraint and hard work to be as slim as that. Have to make these just for the novelty of mayo in the mix. GG
oh these brownies just hit the spot for me! Just looking at them makes me want to drool! I haven’t actually tried using mayo in baking but I bet they’d taste delicious! Also bonus that they’re low fat!! Awesome recipe!
Thanks for the mention
I’m so glad you decided to try this recipe. I’ll have to try your version as your brownie looks delicious! I’m sure celebrities eat brownies just not in the spotlight! They are human after all.
these sound yumbo !..i have made an Adriano Zumbo recipe for choc cake using the japanese mayo and it was really yum too..must try these thankyou…
I am pretty sure that Victoria Beckam hasn’t eaten since 1985. Poor thing. She is really missing out
Hehehe, I think some celebrities don’t eat at all! But I am not a celebrity, so I can have as many of your brownies as I want…:)I don’t eat many sweets, but a good brownie with walnuts and a cup of good tea in the Saturday morning could make me very happy!
I received a few e-mails about this post (http://www.picnicatmarina.com/2012/07/happy-birthday.html) asking me if it is your sister… How odd, ha?!
Why in heavens name would you eat a low fat brownie. If you are going to eat a brownie (or any food for that matter) then just eat a real food, best quality brownie! Btw I am a traditional food nutritionist.
I will be definitely be making this.
They look yum!!! Even with mayo as the secret ingredient, I’m still really keen to try these!!
I’m guessing you imported the toffee bits?
That is ingenious. I can totally see how that would work. Sometimes I find real brownies just a bit too rich so in fact I reckon I might prefer these.
I think some celebrities who are super thin just don’t eat much at all. How sad. Nothing to aspire to really.
Woo hoo! This is the recipe for me! Your friends sound awesome. It is do important to have a sense of humour!
Ros is such a fearless baker and I love following along with her creations because she always goes somewhere I’m not expecting her her food. These brownies are no exception – I’ve never heard or tried to use mayonnaise in brownies before, but I’m so intrigued by how it would impact the flavor. I’d definitely take a taste…
I somehow suspect celebs have some secrets to keeping themselves slim. And don’t think it’s a high metabolism for most of them
Of course, personal trainers, private gyms, private pools, personal dietitians and private chefs probably help. And I’m sure they eat brownies – or at least a few crumbs 
Low fat means you cam eat more!
Yum looks great
Oh..another chocolate recipe with a secret ingredient, I like it…!!!
I don’t think that those thinny movie stars eat something like this, even it’s low fat. If they do, I gues they have to be at the gym for hours.
Oh Ben’s going to love these!
These look great Lorraine. As for celebs, I am sure they just don’t eat.
I’s sure Victoria Beckham eats. She probably just only allows herself like one chocolate a year!
Off-topic here, but where did you get that tea set? It’s simply the most fabulous thing!
I adore brownies and will eat any kind – even low-fat ones.
On the other hand, I doubt Victoria Beckham eats anything much at all.
I totally love the tea pot cozy in the photo.
I think that celebrities still get to eat chocolate treats, we just don’t hear about it.
Oh, well, more chocolate for me, for those who don’t want to eat it.
The first thing I did was to bookmark the page. Lorraine, my mouth is watering just looking at them. I don’t know about Mz Skinny B, but I definitely would devour those. Ah! The perks of NOT being a celebrity ;p
I do think some of them have a great metabolism combined with a huge will power.
These look very scrummy, I will certainly give them a go (without telling the family of your secret). Where did you get the butterscotch chips?
what a great idea! must try these
Very interesting recipe
mayonnaise! That’s is odd.
love the toffee chips and the furry tea cosie – now that is my sort of morning tea – I have found that low fat brownies tend to be more cakie but they still taste good
Lorraine, I do love the look and sound of these low fat choc brownies! Where did you find those toffee chunks? Do please tell!
Do celebrities eat brownies? Hmmm, for some silly svelte starlets most likely not, or if they do, they spend three hours with a personal trainer afterwards (or, heaven forbid, stick their fingers down their throat), or eat lettuce only for the next two days! Seriously, though, yes, they probably do and love it!
I love that tea cosy!
I once read the ingredients of a “light” mayonnaise – one of the fake ones, not whole egg. Scary! Love the idea of using whole egg mayo for a brownie.
I think celebs just have a lot of time and money to pay dieticians and trainers
No of course they don’t eat…they just deprive themselves, over exercise and go on bizarre diets and lead miserable (yet seemingly glamorous and super-thin) lives…jealous ? Not me!
I’m lucky enough to have been given some of these brownies and they are very, very good so I highly recommend this brownie recipe. Love you tea cosy – and they say ‘blue and green should never be seen’! I do wish someone would give Posh something to make her smile – doesn’t she have anything to be happy about! xx
WHO doesn’t LOVE brownies, ESPECIALLY with secret ingredients, TRUE!
Think celebrities like us all, have our preferences too!
Indulgence + Exercise, suggest is wise!
So the numbers on the scales don’t hit us with wonderment and surprise!
Having said that, my metabolism (at almost 50)is at an all time high!
Hard work, dedication, is ONE of the reasons why!
what an interesting brownie recipe! must try!
Celebrities, I am certain, change their ever so fashionable diets, always headed by a ‘posh’ name, from month to month, have dieticians watch their every mouthful and daily trainers shocked if an extra hundred grams appears on the scales! Probably because they ate that brownie or two sitting in a closet the night before
! Mayonnaise: hmm, interesting!!
I remember this post from Ros too
she has so many interesting recipes hehe I don’t think I can tell my partner there is mayonaise in it if not he wont eat it hehe
OMG OMG OMG i have those toffeebits too i got them in NYC i can’t wait to use them especially in this recipe now ~
I think celebrities just eat very little and they have people to look after and get them to exercise
I think the whole world eats brownies. I think Massai warriors eat brownies. And I think I will eat some of these very soon. Very cool secret ingredient.
Delicious! And that teaset is so cute!
These brownies look absolutely gorgeous – low fat and using mayonnaise? They have to be amazing
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
This would be interesting. Never knew mayo can be a substitute for butter.
That looks just divine! I can almost taste that one in the plate! They are looking posh indeed. I do think celebrities eat brownies too and if they know of this secret ingredient I’m sure they’ll flip and eat more.
So fun to see you still have the toffee bits. I haven’t see mayo in brownies before, but many people swear it makes a cake better. xoxo Mum
Can happily say these were super deeelicious, (and I would never have picked them as low fat.)
As for the dancing girl, loved her too. She’s still sitting on top of my cabinet gaily swinging to her hearts content
WOW mayonnaise in brownies is genius!!!
My brother ran over the tip of my foot once. Hey, maybe that’s why I have all of these ongoing toe issues?!
Mmmm butterscotch chips.
If I had those butterscotch chips I am pretty sure they wouldn’t make it to the batter…
YUMMMM!!! *drooling all over the keyboard
*
Okay, where did you get Heath bits??? I’m swooning up here.
I’ve used mayonnaise in cooking before but there’s fat in mayonnaise isn’t there? Fat-free mayonnaise in this? I’ll have to try it but I’ll do it at home in the dark first.
Lol! I ran over a drunk in the cross too!! Actually I was parked and didn’t realise that he was using my car to hold himself up, when I moved the car he fell and I thought I had killed him!!! Lucky a pedestrian told me what had happened :0
These look great! Anything low fat it a winner for me, I am getting a warming spare tyre this winter :0 … and I am not even warm!
I am most positive they don’t eat (that’s what I tell myself).
In order to have bodies like that one must miss out on the wonderful things in life like brownies. I prefer having a less than perfect body and eat brownies!
I think that would (for me) defeat the point of eating brownies. I revel in the full-fat variety.
Those toffee bits look great! I can’t believe there’s a low fat brownie out there! I need to make this
Everything looked great how to resist.,
Mayonnaise? Really? I’ve heard of avocado and black bean brownies, but this sounds kind of scary! They look delicious though
Mayo… oo that’s very interesting indeed. Have always only used butter, I guess mayo still keeps it fudgy but light at the same time yeah?
oh wow these look so decadent and delicious! i bet the mayo makes these super moist!
I have a friend who makes the best cakes and she always scoops in a big dollop of mayo, so I’m a believer! These brownies look amazing!
Mayo..wow that is unusual but i can see how it would work, love the English toffee bits but then I would being a Brit! Since I am in Sydney often I’m hoping I might be able to catch up with you and some bloggers on your eating jaunts in town one day?
I was mugged for these brownies as I walked in the door Lorraine! I did manage to pinch off a taste and they were Amazing! I’m all for Secret Ingredients and quirky fun, thankyou xox
WHERE did you get that tea set? It’s beautiful!
I’m glad to see you are finally starting to consider my waistline with your recipes…you do realise I have a wedding coming up! Seriously though…these look really good
Can these really be called low fat brownies with that amount of sugar, chocolate and butterscotch chips in them?
Never would have thought to use mayo in sweet food…especially not chocolate brownies – I’m definitely intrigued!
I think celebs do indulge but then probably work out for a bazillion hours a day with a personal trainer which I am not prepared to do to look like that!
Interesting. I’ve never thought to use mayo in cooking but i’m all for low fat
mayonnaise!? no!!! i claim to dislike the stuff, but it would add a certain tang and moistness to brownies. i may have to purchase a jar just to see for myself.
They certainly don’t look lowfat…they look downright irresistible!!! Mayo makes a moist cake, so I’m certain it was a great addition to these brownies
I knew that mayo added in brownies or cakes makes it even better! Your brownies look to die for & what a cute & lovely alternative teapot & cups !! How cool is that?
Ahhhh, this looks LUSH.
My mom has a recipe for a kick butt cake w/mayonnaise. It is rich and oh-so-chocolateeeee.
Do I think celebrities eat brownies? Yes. But Angelina Jolie does not! Haa.
xxx
OMG, where did you get the brickle? They are no longer available in the US, and my best brownies were off the brickle bag!!! Can I get them mail ordered from somewhere? Great recipe and looks delicious, will have to try.
haha wow! i never would have thought about using mayo in a brownie recipe.. but it does have eggs and oil so it makes total sense!
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