The Brownie Blog

Brownies are a classic treat that most chocolate lovers enjoy.  Many brownie recipes are highly complicated and involve melting solid chocolate and all kinds of other nonsense that make them impractical for people short on experience and time. This is an easy recipe that takes less than an hour to prepare and includes ingredients that most people already have.  Why bother with the box mix ever again?

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of Butter (not margarine)
• 2 cups of Sugar
• 4 Eggs
• 2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
• 2/3 cup Unsweetend Cocoa
• 1 cup Flour (sifted)
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Baking Powder (aluminum free to be au naturel)

Preheat the oven to 350°
Grease a 13″x9″ baking dish with butter or shortening.  Then throw a bit of flour in there and shift it around until the pan is coated.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar and vanilla extract.
In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and cocoa.
Melt the butter on the stove to be fancy or in the microwave to be lazy.  Use 15 – 20 second intervals in the microwave to avoid boiling or burning.  Pour the melted butter into the sugar mix and stir.  The result should be light yellow and a little gritty.
Beat the eggs slightly, then add them to the butter-sugar mixture.
Next stir in the cocoa-flour mix in small amounts.  Avoid over mixing or you will get tough brownies.

At this point it will look like brownie batter.  Pour it into your dish and spread it evenly.  Bake in the center of the oven for 25 – 30 minutes.  Lick the bowl.

Everyone always says cool completely.  I say nothing beats a warm brownie, but use your brain and give it some time to reach an edible temperature.  Also don’t expect a perfect square if you cut them while they are still warm.  Getting the knife wet makes cutting them much easier.

Variations:

• Use half as much of each ingredient and bake in an 8″x8″ or 9″x9″ dish.
• Add 1/2 a cup of walnuts, pecans or any other nuts if you like nutty brownies.
• Add 1/2 a cup or more of chocolate chips or chunks  for chocolate chunk brownies.
• Add butterscotch or peanut butter chips for a surprising twist.
• Add Magic.  Just Say “Browniium Deliciosa” before you bake them.
• Frost those mothers!  Here is a slightly challenging recipe for a glaze type frosting that pairs perfectly with these brownies.  If you follow the directions you should have no problem producing the perfect frosting.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Sugar
• 1/4 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
• 1/4 cup Butter
• 1/4 cup Milk (does not have to be Whole but should not be Skim either)
• 1 tsp Vanilla

Bring first four ingredients to a boil over medium heat.  Once at a full rolling boil allow to boil for one full minute.

Start timing when your frosting mixture looks like this.

Add vanilla.  Remove from heat.  Allow to cool partially.
Beat with a hand mixer for three minutes or until mixture thickens.
Spread over brownies before you cut them.
Again, this is a glaze type frosting, so it won’t look like it just came out of a can.  When it cools it hardens slightly and makes a rich delicious accent to the brownies.

Now you have all the tools you need to bake your own customized batch of awesome brownies.  Get out there, and make me proud!