Let's talk Brownies!

[supernova]

I haven't made brownies in years and really missed them. I found a recipe in my mom's old cookbook (Ladies Home Companion) . It looked good, and even better I had all the ingredients here at the house.

I melted the unsweetened chocolate and butter. They said shortening, but butter's what I have right now. :P Then I creamed the sugar and eggs together with vanilla, then folded that into the chocolate and butter.

The dry ingredients were flour, baking powder and salt. I did a little experiment and replaced half of the flour with almond meal. When I had combined all the dry stuff, I stirred it into the wet stuff.

Yum! Best brownies I've had in ages. Very chocolatey and fudgey, not cakey like so many batches I've made in the past. It was so good that's what I had for dinner tonight. :P That's right, I totally ignored my eating plan this evening.

What's your secret to great brownies?

[pengillian101]

1. I wish I had a secret for great brownies.

An older neighbor gal sent me some really yummy dense ones cut very small because they were so rich and delicious with a very thin mint frosting.

The best I ever ate. I need to get her recipe. They looked like this without the fancy swirls.

[supernova]

6. Mmmm. mint brownies

That would be deliciously different, IMO.

Here's the recipe I used. You could probably add mint extract or creme de menthe in lieu of vanilla and mint pieces for added flavor.

3 oz unsweetened dark chocolate

1/3 C shortening or butter.

2 eggs

1 C sugar

1/C flour

1/2 teasp salt

1/2 teasp baking powder

1 Tblsp vanilla


Directions:

Melt the butter and chocolate together, set aside

Cream the sugar and eggs together and add vanilla or other flavor.

Add egg/sugar mixture to the butter and chocolate.

Combine flour, salt, and baking powder. Add this mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix until blended.

Pour in greased 8 x 8 x 2 pan

Cook at 375 for approximately 20-25 minutes.

[hippywife]

2. This one has come to be my favorite:

http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/fudge-brownies-recipe

I used to make the Nestle' recipe but, while it is fudgy, it comes out very, very thin.

[supernova]

7. Cool, that looks like

a double recipe of the one I used, 'cept I didn't have any extra chocolate chips. Drat.

[hippywife]

23. I just made these tonight.

I didn't have any chips, either, but I did have a few big chunks of Callebaut and an Endangered Species 75% cocoa bar with cocao nibs. I put them through the food processor and there were some chip sized pieces and some ground pretty fine. These brownies are so gooooood! '

Eating a small one now with a little bit of homemade vanilla ice cream and fresh strawberries on top.

:9

[Warpy]

3. I do stovetop brownies.

I melt the butter (yes, butter!) and chocolate together. Then I turn the heat off, beat in the sugar, then the vanilla, then the eggs, then the flour, salt and baking powder mixture.

I like doing it this way because it only dirties one pot and the brownie pan and I'm terminally lazy.

And yes, the brownies are always superb.

[supernova]

8. Never heard of stovetop brownies

How do you cook them on the stove top? Like cornbread?

[Warpy]

11. No, I described the process in my post.

You did read my post, right?

[supernova]

12. Yes, of course, however

I was making a distinction between combining elements and cooking, which is what I was asking about. That's all.

[supernova]

13. Dupe

I wonder if DU admin will ever have time to fix this bug.

[hippywife]

14. I read it, too. Several times and

I saw nothing indicating that they were combined on the stovetop but baked in the oven? Is that the process?

[Warpy]

16. Uh, what did you think the brownie pan was for?

I realize I'm looking for logical thought here and not finding it.

They're mixed on the stovetop, dirtying one pan. They're baked in the oven, dirtying the brownie pan.

[hippywife]

18. Well,

we weren't the ones who called them stovetop brownies and it wasn't specific, so we thought there was something you were doing that we didn't know about. Cooking and baking is about about creativity and there is a lot of individual creativity in this group, so one never assumes. At least I don't. Logic has nothing to do with it. :shrug:

I only dirty one bowl and one pan when I make them anyway, so I'm not dirtying any more than you are.

[surrealAmerican]

4. I think you've found the secret ...

... and that secret is BUTTER. I usually use either the Joy of Cooking recipe or one of the "one bowl" recipes from bakers' chocolate, but they will always taste better if made with butter.

I like the almond meal idea. That, or other ground nuts (especially hazel nuts), would taste nice with the chocolate.

[supernova]

9. It really adds and extra

bit of substance to the brownies, but you know know that you're eating nuts. I like it.

Yes, what isn't made better by butter? ;-)

[The empressof all]

5. Someone posted this evil a while back

So of course I have to pass it along. "Man Catcher Brownies". I made them and hid them from my husband....:rofl:



Man Catcher Brownies

12 ounces (3 sticks) unsalted butter

2 cups cocoa powder, sifted (natural or Dutch process)

6 eggs

2 cups sugar

2 cups packed light brown sugar

2 tablespoons vanilla extract

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9-by-13-inch pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper and spray with nonstick cooking oil spray.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Remove from the heat and add the cocoa powder, stirring to combine. Let cool slightly.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs together, then add the sugars and vanilla extract, stirring to combine. Add the cooled butter-chocolate mixture, then fold in the flour and salt until just combined; do not overmix. Spread the batter evenly in the pan, making sure the corners are filled. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a crust forms on the surface and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack; cool completely before cutting the brownies.

Per brownie: 310 calories, 4 g protein, 46 g carbohydrates, 14 g fat, 83 mg cholesterol, 8 g saturated fat, 108 mg sodium, 2 g dietary fiber

Recipe tested by Leigh Lambert; e-mail questions [e-mail]


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/06/AR2007020600438.html

[supernova]

10. The name alone

is worth a look-see!

:rofl:

They sound good.

[hippywife]

15. That evil person would have been me.

I ended up making them only once. They were pretty good but not spectacular. I never made them again. If you look at the ingredients and amounts, it's really nothing more than doubling a recipe that fits a 9x13. Nothing mystical there at all.

:hi:

[Eyerish]

17. I use the recipe on the back of the can of Ghirardelli Sweet ground Chocolate & Cocoa

Ingredients
2 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup ghirardelli ground chocolate
2/3 cup flour (do not sift)
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Directions
1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2 Using a spoon, stir eggs with sugar and vanilla; add butter.
3 Sift GHIRARDELLI GROUND CHOCOLATE with flour, baking powder and salt.
4 Stir into egg mixture; add nuts.
5 Spread into greased 8 inch square pan.
6 Bake 20 minutes.
*******************************************

The most delicious brownies I've ever made!
The ground chocolate makes the best hot chocolate too! :hi:

[supernova]

19. "Ground" chocolate?

Is that what they call their cocoa powder? Just wondering. :shrug:

I do love Ghirardelli, though. :9 :9 :9

[Eyerish]

20. I believe it is unsweetened cocoa powder mixed with a bit of sugar so that it's very mildly sweet

It's not cloyingly sweet like most cocoa mixes usually are.

[housewolf]

21. It actually has very, very, very finely ground chocolate it it

It's a blend of cocoa, sugar, vanilla and finely ground unsweetened chocolate. The chocolate gradually melts in the warm chocolate drink adding a different dimension to a cup of hot chocolate. Also used for baking.

[tigereye]

22. bookmarking even though my doc said, cut down on the fat!

:rofl:

[cbayer]

24. Trader Joe's Truffle Brownies in a box

:hide:

[badgerpup]

25. I started out with the recipe that was listed...

...on the inside of the Bakers^TM Unsweetened Chocolate box, except I cut the sugar by one-half and the the butter by one-third.
Tried making it according to instructions but was way too sweet and greasy (IMHO)...:puke:

It's good this way...but if you really want to bump it up, add the zest, juice, and pulp of a good-sized orange, an eighth teaspoon almond extract*, and about a quarter cup slivered blanched almonds**.

Bit of a small problem about this variation is you really do need to keep an eye on it while it's baking.
It tends to 'bubble' up in the middle. You'll need to be ready with a trusty toothpick to get a nice 'flat' tray of delicious brownies when they're done baking. It's well worth it though...

They smell absolutely wondrous when they're fresh out of the oven, but the flavor comes to a peak after they've had a chance to cool. Chilling them makes them even better. :9


*What I've Learned The Hard Way About Almond Extract:
It is not a very 'forgiving' flavor (like vanilla extract is) if you add a bit too much. A little too much vanilla extract won't hurt your final product, but a little too much almond can OVERPOWER it. :banghead:

* OH NOES! I don't have any blanched almonds! :(
No worries...take regular almonds and toss them into boiling H₂O for about a minute (don't exeed 90 seconds- leaches away a lot of oil and flavor).
Pour through a strainer like you would pasta, then use a rough dishtowel to RUB the almonds. They should slip their skins quite easily.
I let mine dry in the open air for about a day or so before consigning them to a tightly lidded container (I likes to make a bunch up in advance...in case I get a baking fit and need them).:9

[cleveramerican]

26. three kinds of chocolate chips and three kinds of nuts

I had a party and offered people a brownie, no one accepted
I told them about 3 kinds of chips and 3 kinds of nuts
They all went.