Brownies – The Topic

[Elizabeth_11]

Well then it looks like I'm off to make Julia's! I'll report back with my opinion

[Suvir Saran]

Well then it looks like I'm off to make Julia's!  I'll report back with my opinin 

And I am joining you as I make them. Upon Lesley's reccomendation, I went and bought a brownie pan (9 inch square tin). And now, finally I will make brownies in it today.

[Suvir Saran]

Lesley,

I baked the other day using that new tin... The brownies took more time than what Ms. Child's book reccomends baking them for. I was using a calphalon brownie pan.. and so had lowered the temperature by 25F.

Should I not have done that?

What kind of a pan are you using? How long do you bake the brownies?

PS: MY oven temperature is callibrated correctly.

[Lesley C]

Hi Suvir,

I baked the brownies for 23 minutes, but I wouldn't hesitate to go to 25 to get a bit more cakiness going. The 23-minute brownies were mucho squidgy.

[tsquare]

Katherine Hepburn donated her personal recipe.

This recipe is also in the 2002 collection of writing from Gourmet Magazine - Laurie Colwin on "A Harried Cook's Guide to Some Fast Food". I made them - very easy, very good. Don't cut them until they are cool as they will fall apart.

Recipe calls for two squares of baking chocolate, one cube of butter, 2 eggs, 1 cup sugar, 1/4 tsp vanilla, 1/4 cup flour, 1/4 tsp salt, and an optional 1 cup chopped walnuts (I used hazelnuts). Bakes at 325 for 40 minutes.

I use an old (at least 40 years?) metal 8"x8" pan. Results in a remarkably rich brownie, soft inside with a crispy top.

[Suvir Saran]

Katherine Hepburn donated her personal recipe.

This recipe is also in the 2002 collection of writing from Gourmet Magazine - Laurie Colwin on Home Cooking. I made them - very easy, very good. Don't cut them until they are cool as they will fall apart.

Recipe calls for two squares of baking chocolate, one cube of butter, 2 eggs, 1 cup sugar, 1/4 tsp vanilla, 1/4 cup flour, 1/2 tsp salt (?), and an optional 1 cup chopped walnuts (I used hazelnuts). Bakes at 325 for 40 minutes.

I use an old (at least 40 years?) metal 8"x8" pan. Results in a remarkably rich brownie, soft inside with a crispy top.

Sounds yummy!

Will have to bake these and report back.

[s'kat]

I have decided that it is absolutely necessary to bake brownies at some point this weekend, but I think I would like to try something new.

Who has a great brownie recipe for me?

[Sandra Levine]

Take your pick from a multitude of brownie recipes

[s'kat]

Beautiful! I had done a search, but obviously not right, as I didn't hit this pot of gold. Thanks!

[s'kat]

Will have to bake  these and report back.

Suvir, I am anxiously awaiting your report.

[hjshorter]

I have decided that it is absolutely necessary to bake brownies at some point this weekend, but I think I would like to try something new.

Who has a great brownie recipe for me?

I have a really good one from Laurie Colwin's book Home Cooking if you're interested.

[stellabella]

s'kat, sandy levine's recipe is very good.

you can't go wrong with the recipe from a box of baker's or from the ghirardelli wrapper--follow it but SUBSTITUTE the best quality chocolate you can find. i felt very inferior early on because i had never baked with vahlrona or scharffen berger--but when i was able to get them, i immediately knew the difference.

spend some time searching the chocolate threads here--i have learned a lot from them.

[s'kat]

hjshorter: Oh, I am interested. I'd love to see this recipe, please!

stellabella: I had actually printed that out earlier, and have noted the chocolates I'll need on my shopping list. The stores here don't have much variety: I use Ghirardelli for now, but keep hoping to see something more interesting displayed on the shelves one day.

[Bond Girl]

I second the Laurie Colwin one for traditional, easy to bake brownies. I think there is also another one from Katherine Hepburn that you may be able to find on

http://www.epicurious.com/run/recipe/view?id=106559

(Okay, I know this is a pretty fluffy site.) Also, I'm not sure if the two recipes are the same.

I like a good dose of amaretto in my brownies and hazelnuts are preferable to walnuts. Once in a while, I'll grate some orange peel in it and soak it with cointreau.

[NeroW]

There is also a super yummy one or two in Chris Kimball "The Cooks Bible."

[hjshorter]

I second the Laurie Colwin one for traditional, easy to bake brownies.  I think there is also another one from Katherine Hepburn that you may be able to find on

http://www.epicurious.com/run/recipe/view?id=106559

(Okay, I know this is a pretty fluffy site.)  Also, I'm not sure if the two recipes are the same. 

That's the same recipe. It is extremely dense and fudgey - delicious! I second the advice to use the best chocolate you can get.

I like walnuts in my brownies, but any nut will do in this recipe except pecans. The brownies are so rich that with pecans they suffer from fat overload. I have occasionally put dried cherries in with delicious results. I prefer the dried cherries from American Spoon Foods.

[Sweet Tooth]

If you like real chocately chewie brownies, this is a winner:

3/4 cup cocoa powder

3/4 cup shortening

2 1/4 cups sugar

4 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/4 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

1 chocolate bar (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease a 9x13 pan.

Melt shortening in a large saucepan over low heat, then stir in cocoa.

Remove from heat.

Mix in sugar and vanilla then mix in eggs one at a time.

Stir in remaining ingredients stir in nuts.

Bake for 30 minutes.

Cool completely before cutting into 2x2" squares.

enjoy!

[stellabella]

stellabella:  I had actually printed that out earlier, and have noted the chocolates I'll need on my shopping list.  The stores here don't have much variety:  I use Ghirardelli for now, but keep hoping to see something more interesting displayed on the shelves one day.

oh, same here. so i have decided to splurge and buy on-line--the best site i've found and one recommended by several here is www.chocosphere.com.

and i still use ghirardelli, if it's the best i can find--it's not the worst chocolate in the world, amen! but once you've had the other.....

[Bond Girl]

I love Valhonra for chocolate souffles and small cakes, but I actually prefer something like ghiradelli or Guytta (sp?) for things like brownies. I think the cocao solids are lower, so the flavours are less intense. This way you can indulge in huge squares. The last time I made brownies with Valhonra chocolates, my guests were bouncing off the walls after consuming them.

[Elizabeth_11]

Although there have already been a countless number of recipes provided, after EXTENSIVE testings I have found that Nick Malgieri's Supernatural brownies are THE BEST in my book! I've altered the technique slightly to make it a bit fudgier (I think it worked) here's the recipe:

http://www.recipesource.com/desserts/brown...00/rec0079.html

**I make a half batch of these, and instead of combining the sugars with the eggs all at once, I add the brown sugar to the chocolate mixture (along with the salt and vanilla) and stir--add the egg, stir---add the remaining white sugar--stir, then finally add the last egg. Then fold in the flour. I find that this lessens the amount of "crust" on top--I don't like a too crispy crust--this creates just the right amount of it for me personally!**

ENJOY!!! mmmmmmm brownies!

[JFLinLA]

Hey Bond Girl -- I believe the other chocolate you are talking about is actually Guittard. Like Ghirardelli and Scharfenberger, they are also based in the San Francisco Bay area. Their products seem to be harder to find at a retail level but I really like their stuff. I am especially a fan of their Super Cookie Chips. Aside from the chocolate quality, these are about twice the size of standard chips and are great in chocolate chip cookies . . . but that's another topic.

[s'kat]

I printed out each and every recipe last weekend with the greatest intentions of making at least one. I was chagrined when I got home from work and discovered that I had left said recipes sitting on my desk.

I ended up making a batch of Ghirardhelli brownies, as they kindly put the recipe right on the package. I've made these before, and they're good, but as an acquaintance so rightfully put it, "I'm a brownie floozy".

I have also just found a place locally that sells bars of the bittersweet Scharffen Berger chocolate. Yep- its destined for the brownie pan.

[hjshorter]

I have also just found a place locally that sells bars of the bittersweet Scharffen Berger chocolate.  Yep-  its destined for the brownie pan.

Yum!

Scharffen Berger is what I use in my brownies. Ghiradelli is my choice for a supermarket brand.

[R Washburn]

oh, same here. so i have decided to splurge and buy on-line--the best site i've found and one recommended by several here is www.chocosphere.com.

Stellabella,

great selection, but not the best prices. For Valrhona and El Ray products I shop here: Assouline & Ting. Scharfenberger and Callebaut I buy at Fairway.

Robert

[Marlene]

Brownie recipes can now be found Here