Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread

½ cup unsweetened, unflavored applesauce

3 cups (16 ounces) grated zucchini

2 cups all-purpose, unbleached flour

6 tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa powder

2 teaspoons instant espresso powder

1½ teaspoons baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

¾ cup mini-morsel chocolate chips

¼ cup ghee (organic preferred)

1 cup granulated sugar

¼ cup dark brown sugar

3 large eggs

½ cup reduced-fat sour cream

2 teaspoons vanilla

For the topping

¼ cup light brown sugar

¼ cup granulated sugar

½ teaspoon cinnamon

Place a wire mesh strainer over a bowl sufficiently deep to keep the strainer from touching the bowl's bottom and to it add the applesauce. Set aside.

Place the oven rack in the center position and begin heating the oven to 350 degrees.

Using a vegetable oil spray with flour, lightly spray the interior bottom and sides of two 9-inch by 5-inch loaf pans. Set aside.

In a small mixing bowl mix together topping ingredients. Set aside.

By the handful, over the sink, squeeze grated zucchini to remove extra liquid, place squeezed handfuls in a small bowl and set aside.

Add flour, cocoa powder, espresso powder, baking soda and salt to a medium mixing bowl and whisk together until combined, about 30 seconds. Add chocolate chips to a small mixing bowl, sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of the flour mixture and stir and fold until coated with flour. Set aside.

Measure out ¼-cup drained applesauce and add it, ghee and sugars to a large mixing bowl and beat for 2 minutes. Stop the mixer, scrape down the bowl's sides and add eggs, sour cream and vanilla; mix at medium speed for 1 minute or until well combined.

If using a stand mixer, remove the bowl from the stand, add flour mixture and using a large rubber spatula stir and fold until flour mixture is blended-in. Add zucchini and stir and fold until combined and then stir and fold in chocolate chips.

Divide batter equally between the two pans; leveling the tops. Divide and sprinkle the sugar mixture evenly over the batter. Bake 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of each loaf comes out almost clean. (It is OK if a few crumbs stick to the toothpick.) Remove the pans from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool for 15 minutes. Turn the breads out of the pans and cool completely.

Each loaf serves 8.

Nutrition values per serving: 235 calories (28.7 percent from fat), 7.5 g fat (5.8 g saturated fat), 40.3 g carbohydrates, 1.1 g fiber, 3.9 g protein, 60 mg cholesterol, 137 mg sodium.

Don Mauer