scratch. For those of you who don’t know what that means, it means she didn’t make dessert out of a box, buy it off the shelf or out of a freezer in a grocery store. She dug out real eggs, real butter, flour and sugar and followed a recipe she’d acquired, created, or found in a book. I think cooking from scratch is fast becoming a lost art. Even I mess with my old favorites like spaghetti sauce and learn to get the same flavor with less time and effort. Is our world becoming too fast and too furious? Yes, it is. It is time to slow down and make something from scratch, not out of a box. It is time to discover why scratch sometimes is far better – especially when it comes to things chocolate. I offer you my mother’s recipe for very decadent brownies. There is no icing or topping. Real brownies do not need embellishment. Chocolate should stand or fall on its own. EDDIE’S UNBELIEVABLE BROWNIES Read the recipe first to see if you have everything on your shelf at home. For novices “chocolate squares” mean go to the store and buy some Baker’s Unsweetened Baking Chocolate Squares. They come in a box and are found in the section where chocolate chips and sugar are sold. I suspect you know where the chocolate chip aisle is, don’t you?! And, those who have unsweetened chocolate powder instead of baking squares, there should be a recipe on the side of the tin that says how to substitute a chocolate and shortening mixture for a bar of chocolate. Preheat oven 375 degrees. Preheat simply means turn the oven on and allow it to heat up to the desired temperature. It is also very important that your internal oven temperature is up-to- snuff or your brownies can come out too dry – a horrible no-no. Break down and purchase an oven temperature gauge (you can buy one a Wal-mart el-cheapo). INGREDIENTS: 4 Squares Chocolate 1 Cup Shortening (not butter but something like Crisco) 3 Cups Sugar (hey, no one claimed these were healthy) 6 Eggs 2 Cups Flour (you will sift this later) 2 Teaspoon Baking Powder (not soda) 2 Teaspoon Salt 1 Cup Chopped Pecans or Walnuts (your personal choice) 4 Teaspoon Vanilla THE WORK: Step 1: Take a 9x13 baking dish & butter it all over (this is so the brownie doesn’t stick to the pan) Step 2: Add the baking powder and salt to the flour, then sift the flour into a large measuring cup or bowl Step 3: Melt chocolate and shortening in a double boiler. If you don’t have one, place a smaller pot inside a larger pot with enough water in the bottom of the larger pot to boil and heat up the smaller pot – or just go buy a cheap one. If you feel brave, you can try melting it in the microwave but it’s very easy to burn it that way.) Step 4: In a large mixing bowl, beat (with an electric mixer) the eggs one at a time. Then add the sugar into that bowl a little at a time beating until it’s a lovely yellow cream color. Step 5: Slowly add the dry ingredients to the large bowl (not too much or you will send flour flying all over your kitchen). Just a little at a time until it’s all mixed in. Mix well. Step 6: By hand, stir in the nuts and the vanilla. Stir well. Step 7: Pour this mixture into the greased baking dish. Bake 20-25 minutes. You do NOT want to over-bake the brownies. It’s OK for it to be a little soft in the center because as it cools, it develops into a chewy brownie. You don’t want a cake-type consistency (which is usually what happens to the outer edges). It is better to under-bake. If your edges are a little dry, cut them in squares, put fresh blueberries over the warm brownie, use some canned whipped cream and create a warm dessert with it – oh my gosh, it is so good. You get your anti-oxidants and chocolate, too. What could be better??? OK, OK, back to the recipe. Set the baking dish on a cookie rack to cool. Cut into squares and immediately take it to a neighbor or to work because the brownies will begin to call you in the middle of the night to come into the kitchen and overindulge. Copyright © 1958 Eddie Cook All rights reserved. Used by permission. |
| EDDIE'S UNBELIEVABLE BROWNIES |
| Use the BACK arrow to return to previous page. |
 |