By Val, The Cookie Queen
Brownies are named for their rich, dark, chocolatey colour. Although chocolate has been paired with sugar in sweet pastries for about 400 years (it was introduced to Europe from America in the early 16th century) brownies have only really been around since the late 1890s.
It would be fair to say that they really are an American speciality. Brownies are divided into cakelike and fudgelike categories. I don’t care for the cake like variety myself and will stick with the fudgy ones.
It has been such a long time since I have featured a Foodie Sunday here, that as way of an apology I would like to share over the next 4 posts, four of my favorite brownie recipes. As well as today’s, we will do vegan brownies, gluten-free brownies and brownies sweetened with date purée.
These are the recipes that I use in my business.
Exactly as I do them. The only thing that I have that you probably don’t have is my brownie pan! It is from 1962, beaten up, belonged to my mother, and yields perfect brownies every time. You may need to experiment a little to find your perfect pan.
I know my past couple of posts have featured recipes or ideas that don’t need weighing, but the brownie recipes do need a little more care.
In most cases the ideal brownie pan is 8 inch x 8 inch. (20cm x 20cm). 9 inch x 9 inch (23 x 23cm) will do at a pinch but it will give a slightly different result.
You can also use a rectangular brownie pan.
A fudgy brownie is done when you put a toothpick in the middle and it comes out with crumbs clinging to it. If it comes out clean they are overcooked.
That doesn’t mean you can’t eat them of course, but you will have to try again!!
I use a mixture of ounces, grammes and American cup measurements
and hope that it works for you as well as it does for me.
Let’s bake.
ÜBER-FUDGY BROWNIES
Ingredients
4 ounces butter (112g) softened
1 cup of brown sugar (the soft moist kind) otherwise use white sugar (half brown and half white works too)
100 grams unsweetened chocolate MELTED (You need about 90 grams, but I allow 100 in case you have to taste it!)
1 or 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
2 eggs, room temperature
2/3 cup of flour
1/4 tsp salt (added to the flour of course)
About 170 grams of chopped chocolate. I use about 2/3 milk and 1/3 white, use what you want!
(You can also add about half a cup of chopped pecans – I personally just don’t like nuts in brownies.)
As ever, please use the best quality chocolate you can – baking does not turn bad chocolate into good chocolate.
Line your brownie pan with greaseproof paper. Preheat the oven to 350°f or 170°c.
METHOD
Finished batter, before adding chocolate chunks
Beat the butter and sugar together with an electric hand mixer, Kitchen Aid or similar. Add the melted chocolate. Add the vanilla.
(I always melt my chocolate in the microwave, despite being told not too. Just melt it slowly and on a low wattage. Make sure the bowl that you use is totally clean, and absolutely dry before adding the chopped chocolate. Open the microwave door every 30
seconds and stir it)
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Slowly add the flour and salt. Keep scraping the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Fold the chopped chocolate chunks in by hand. Turn the batter into the lined pan and level the surface.
Batter in pan with added chocolate chunks
Bake for about 25 minutes, it depends on your oven. The top should be kind of shiny and dry. It may crack a little when you test it with a toothpick. that is no problem. Let them cool for about half and hour before cutting them into squares.
Finished brownies cut into squares
If there are any left over, store them in an airtight container. I put mine in the fridge but you don’t have to.
Let me know how you get on!
Bussis
CQ
Olfactoria's Travels 
Oh glorious, any day of the week…I may have my mother’s beaten up toffee making tin in fact. Could you kindly quantify the capacity / weight of a cup? There are US and Australian cups I find, and the amounts contained vary quite a bit.
http://allrecipes.com/howto/cup-to-gram-conversions/
Wait. I will weigh the 2/3 cup now. OK. 100 grammes. I only use US cups. Thanks for asking though, I never thought to put it in grammes!! xxx
Great when you do food on this blog! This looks like a yummy recipe – will pass it on to my daughter and report back, she loves making brownies. Thanks for adding grams, useful for us on this side of the pond. Very sweet you still have your mum’s baking tin – it must be a lovely connection to her every time you use it.
Oh great! Please let me know. I do think of Mum but also wonder at what point I’m gonna get aluminium poisoning. :). xxx
I can attest to your brownies being the best Val! I’m too lazy to cook this myself so I’ll just continue to drool over the pics (inc the batter) yum!!!
Get off your backside Michael and bake.
I’m going to try your recipe this coming weekend. In spite of extensive cooking/baking experiments I’ve never tried to make brownies. Such a shame! Then again, I’ve never had a trustworthy recipe either. I’ll need to buy a pan though …
Get an 8″ or 20cm pan. Makes all the difference! xxx
They look absolutely delicious!! I have my Mom’s 8″ pan, and it looks like the exact same pan! I always helped in the kitchen when I was growing up, and it makes me feel so close to my Mom (she passed away 11 years ago) when I bake/cook and use her pans and other kitchen items. Many of my best memories are based on the wonderful aromas coming from her kitchen!
Thanks again for the recipe. I love trying recipes that other people love. I just made baked pumpkin oatmeal that is absolutely delicious. I have a pumpkin and apple thing going on right now!!
Hi Cathy. It is surpassing how difficult it is to get an 8 inch pan. All the brownie pans seems to be rectangular. I was checking last night. I found a couple but will have to order online. Hmmmm. This really is a good recipe, I get a lot of orders for it. More to come!! Thanks for checking in. Let me know if you do try it! xxx
Oh wow do these look heavenly Val! Fudgey brownies are the best. xo
Brownies for you will be coming up soon!!
Thanks for sharing your own recipe, Val. Looking forward to trying it out once I have everything needed. I agree with Sandra that fudgy brownies are the best. The cakey ones are often too dry.
If it´s cake it´s not a brownie as far as I am concerned. I hate nuts in brownies too. Why ruin a brownie with a nut? But of course we all have different tastes!! xxx
🙂 Oh, gosh, just looking at these I almost start drooling 😉
Once I find the time for baking again I’ll use your recipe, for sure!
Have a very HAPPY week 🙂
Sometimes we need to make time! It definitely pays off. You too! have a good week. 🙂
Val, do you think it makes a difference if you use a glass vs. aluminum pan? I love to bake and can’t wait for your gluten-free recipe. This one sounds great!
Hi Kandice. I don’t think so, not really. As long as you line the pan. Most
important is the size of the pan. 8 inch square is the absolute best. Keep me posted!! Hugs. xxxx
I have been so busy that I MISSED this Val.
FAB U LASH!
Portia xx
Just like you. 😉