Fudge Brownies

Last Edit December 22, 1999

Pepper:

I'm taping a small photo of Fabio to the fridge door so I don't eat the almonds and chocolate before I need them to make this. Chocolate is like a DRUG to me. You can get me to follow anyone and I'm not responsible for my actions if you combine it with peanut butter.

Reply

Some of us require chocolate at least once a month. And men require it always. Nothing wrong with a very warm brownie served with a scoop of low-fat French vanilla ice cream. Men have been known to purrrr.

I have no intention of suffering alone! The first recipe is my favorite. The others are variations for a dozen different sources. Everybody does a brownie. Notice how close some of the recipes are. Basically, if you put reasonable amounts of sugar, chocolate, flour and butter together and you get something edible.

Of course, you could spread the top of the warm brownies with creamy peanut butter! Or use peanut butter ice cream. I am evil, aren't I?

Brownies - From the Old School

2 sq. (2 oz.) unsweetened chocolate (Baker's is best)
1/3 Cup shortening (solid shortening like Crisco)
1 Cup granulated white sugar
2 eggs or equivalent whole egg substitute
3/4 Cup sifted Gold Medal Flour (I don't sift anymore - just don't pack the flour by tamping it into the measuring cup.
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 Cup chopped walnuts

Melt the shortening and chocolate together in a double boiler. See "Melting Chocolate".
Beat in the sugar and eggs with a hand mixer (motorized version preferred else a large spoon and a strong man).
Put in all the rest of the ingredients and beat again. Don't over beat. Just mix well.
Spread out in a well-greased 8" square pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. A slight imprint should be left on the top when touched. I also use a toothpick test in the center.

If a glass 8" pan, reduce the temperature to 325 degrees.

Always put the brownies in the center of the oven. Move the rack so you can do this. (Move the racks before heating the oven to avoid injury!)

Never let a baking dish touch the side of the oven - a conventional oven heats by circulating hot air. A pan resting against a side can't have the air circulating around it.

Another Fudge Brownie - From the Old School

This one uses vanilla but otherwise is very close to the one above it.

2 sq. (2 oz.) unsweetened chocolate (Baker's is best)
1/2 Cup margarine or butter 1 Cup granulated white sugar
2 eggs or equivalent whole egg substitute
1 teaspoon vanilla
2/3 Cup sifted Gold Medal Flour (I don't sift anymore - just don't pack the flour by tamping it into the measuring cup.
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 Cup chopped walnuts

Melt the shortening and chocolate together in a double boiler. See "Melting Chocolate".
Beat in the sugar and eggs with a hand mixer (motorized version preferred else a large spoon and a strong man).
Put in all the rest and beat again. Don't over beat. Just mix well.
Spread out in a well-greased 8" square pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. A slight imprint should be left on the top when touched. I also use a toothpick test in the center.

Another Fudge Brownie Recipe

2 sq. (2 oz.) unsweetened chocolate (Baker's is best); melted and cooled
1/3 Cup butter or margarine
1Cup granulated white sugar
2 eggs or equivalent whole egg substitute
3/4 Cup sifted Gold Medal Flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 Cup chopped walnuts

Beat in the sugar and eggs with the vanilla and chocolate with a hand mixer (motorized version preferred else a large spoon and a strong man, or teenage son).
Put in all the rest and beat again. Don't over beat. Just mix well.
Spread out in a well-greased 8" square pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. A slight imprint should be left on the top when touched. I also use a toothpick test in the center.

This uses vanilla and drops the baking powder and salt. It specifies butter or equivalent instead of shortening. Butter and margarine have salt in them.

Cocoa Substitutes for Baking Chocolate

There are a lot of substitutes that can be made in cooking. 3 tablespoons of cocoa and 2 teaspoons of water or coffee is equivalent to 1 oz. Of baking chocolate. And visa versa.

Hershey's Cocoa Brownies

1 Cup Butter
2 Cups Sugar
3/4 Cup Cocoa powder
2 teaspoons vanilla
4 eggs - or equivalent whole egg substitute
1 Cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 Cup chopped nuts (walnuts)

Bigger dish: 13x9x2 baking dish
Mix the sugar and cocoa powder together. Melt the shortening and add the sugar mixture. Beat in the eggs. One at a time is suggested. Put in the rest of the ingredients and mix until blended. Pour into the greased baking pan. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes. Brownies pull away from the edges of the pan when done. Or test with a toothpick.

Chocolate Syrup Brownies

1/2 Cup butter, softened
1 Cup sugar (white)
4 eggs or 1/2 Cup fat-free egg substitute
1 1/2 Cups chocolate syrup (1 1-pound can)
1 1/4 Cups flour
1 Cup nuts, chopped

Cream the butter and sugar, beat in the eggs, blend in the syrup and flour, and stir in the nuts. Bake in a greased 13x9x2 baking dish at 350 for 30-35 minutes. Cool and ice with the frosting below.

Quick Frosting

One of several recipes I have. Leave it off if you don't want to feel too guilty.

2/3 C sugar
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons butter

Place in a heavy saucepan and cook over medium heat to a full boil, boil 30 seconds. You can use a heavy frying pan. Don't over beat - just gently stir. Stir in 1/2 Cup semisweet chocolate chips until melted. It will not be a thick frosting.

Low-Fat Fudge Brownies

A combination of syrup and cocoa.

1 1/2 Cups flour
1/2 C cocoa
1 1/2 Cups sugar (white)
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 Cup chocolate syrup (the fat free kind in the brown squeeze bottle)
1/3 Cup Light corn syrup
2/3 Cup plain yogurt
2 egg whites or 1/4 Cup fat-free egg substitute
1/4 Cup skim (fat-free milk)
2 teaspoons vanilla

Throw it all together and mix well. Put it in a greased 13x9x2" baking pan (spray with Pam and dust with flour). Bake at 300 degrees for 30 minutes, Cool before cutting.

Store-Bought Fat Free Brownie Mix

Nothing wrong with these.

Store-Bought Brownie Mix

Nothing wrong here either. But you can use the applesauce-Canola oil trick (see snack cake) to reduce the fat. (For every 1/2 Cup shortening use 1/2 Cup applesauce and 1 Tablespoon Canola oil.) You can also use egg-substitutes with impunity.

Buttermilk Brownies

Ambitious Brownies should be their name.

1/3 Cup Cocoa
1 Cup butter or margarine
2 Cups sifted Gold Medal Flour
2 Cups granulated white sugar
2 eggs or equivalent whole egg substitute, slightly beaten
1 teaspoon baking soda (do not use baking powder with buttermilk!)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 Cup buttermilk (or low-fat buttermilk)
1 Cup water
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 Cup chopped walnuts

Melt the butter, cocoa and water together in a saucepan. Bring to a boil; stir constantly (stir, not beat).
In a large bowl mix everything else. Add the chocolate mixture. Blend.

Spread out in a well-greased 15x10x1" pan (spray with Pam and dust with flour) and bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.

Pour frosting over the brownies:

Confectioner's Sugar Frosting

1/4 Cup butter or margarine
3 tablespoons cocoa
3 tablespoon buttermilk

Cook until boiling, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and beat in 2 1/4 Cup SIFTED confectioner's sugar (sorry - you must put it through at least one strainer). When smooth, stir in 1/2 Cup chopped walnuts and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.

OK. Now pick one and tell me how it went. Of course, you could use chopped peanuts in them instead of walnuts.....