A: I could tell from the recipe--this was not your everyday brownie. It was extra tall, rich and fudgy--jam packed with nuts and peppermint patties. So I played it a little conservatively when lightening it up. I cut down from 5 eggs to 3 (usually I would have tried to use 2). I still added 5 tablespoons of butter (albeit down from 16 tablespoons).  The original recipe called for 8 ounces of unsweetened chocolate. I didn’t touch that part of the recipe. I did, however, need to find a replacement for all the butter I was taking out. I noticed the original recipe called for powdered instant espresso. Why not add liquid espresso to replace some of the butter and delete the powder? So I replaced some of the lost butter with chocolate syrup (and I added less sugar to compensate for the extra sweetener) and some with concentrated coffee (I used Victorian House Decaf French Roast concentrated liquid coffee).  I had to shimmy around some of the mixing steps so the coffee and chocolate syrup wouldn’t interfere with the important whipping of the eggs with the sugar. I did end up taking these brownies out of the oven 10 minutes sooner than the original recipe in order to get that desirable dense, fudgy brownie texture. Not only could you not tell that these brownies had been lightened, they were literally "to die for"--and believe me, I use that phrase sparingly.  Palm Beach Brownies with chocolate-covered mints

THIS WONDERFUL LIGHTENED RECIPE IS FROM ELAINE MAGEE'S NEW COOKBOOK, THE RECIPE DOCTOR

The original recipe (from Maida Heater’s Brand-New Book of Great Cookies, Random House, 1995) contains 340 calories, 18.5 grams fat, and 50 mg cholesterol per brownie 

Makes 32 jumbo brownies 

• 8 ounces unsweetened chocolate
• 5 tablespoons butter
• 3 eggs 
• 1/2 cup egg substitute
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 3 cups granulated sugar 
• 1/4 cup concentrated coffee or cooled espresso
• 7 tablespoons chocolate syrup 
• 1 2/3 cups unbleached flour
• 1 generous cup walnut or pecan pieces
• 35, 1 1/2-inch wide York chocolate-covered peppermint patties, unwrapped 

1. Preheat oven to 425-degrees and adjust an oven rack one-third up from the bottom. Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with aluminum foil. Spray the bottom and sides of foil-lined pan with canola cooking spray. 

2. Add chocolate and butter to a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH 2 minutes and stir. Microwave another 2 minutes and stir. If the chocolate is not completely melted, microwave 30 seconds longer or until mixture is smooth and chocolate is melted; set aside.

3. In large bowl of electric mixer, beat eggs with egg substitute, extracts, salt, and sugar at high speed for exactly 10 minutes. While this mixture is mixing, stir coffee and chocolate syrup together in small bowl or glass measure.

4. On low speed, add chocolate-butter mixture to egg mixture and beat only until mixed. Add in coffee-chocolate syrup mixture and beat only until mixed. Then add flour and beat on low speed just until mixed. 

5. Remove bowl from mixer. Stir in nuts. Pour half mixture (about 3 1/2 cups) into prepared pan and smooth top. Place a layer of mints, nearly touching each other and the edges of the pan, all over layer of brownie batter (do not press down). Pour remaining brownie batter over the mints and smooth the top.

6. Bake about 25 minutes or until a firm, lightly browned crust has formed on top, but a toothpick inserted in center would still come out wet and covered with chocolate. This time will vary with your particular oven. Don’t be afraid to dig into the middle of the pan with a spoon the first time you make it--just to make sure it is the texture you desire. Let pan cool. 

7. Refrigerate the brownies for a few hours or overnight before cutting into bars (although it will still be delicious if you don’t wait). Lift foil from pan and lie on flat surface. Cut into bars using a long, heavy knife with a sharp straight or serrated blade. Pack in an airtight box or wrap individually in clear cellophane or foil. They can also be frozen. Per brownie: 255 calories, 4 g protein, 43.5 g carbohydrate, 9.5 g fat, 3.5 g saturated fat, 25 mg cholesterol, 1.5 g fiber, 58 mg sodium. Calories from fat: 33 percent.