Best Brownies Ever
#10
  Re: (...)
I have tried a lot of brownie recipes and none ever seem to turn out any better, or even as good as a plain old box mix. Until now! As usual, I was skeptical, but these are just amazing. Ron is one happy camper.


Alice Medrich's Best Cocoa Brownies

10 Tablespoons (1+1/4 sticks) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (natural or Dutch-process)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cold large eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup walnut or pecan pieces (optional)

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F. Line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment paper or foil, leaving an overhang on two opposite sides.

Combine the butter, sugar, cocoa, and salt in a medium heatproof bowl and set the bowl in a wide skillet of barely simmering water. Stir from time to time until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth and hot enough that you want to remove your finger fairly quickly after dipping it in to test. Remove the bowl from the skillet and set aside briefly until the mixture is only warm, not hot.

Stir in the vanilla with a wooden spoon. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring vigorously after each one. When the batter looks thick, shiny, and well blended, add the flour and stir until you cannot see it any longer, then beat vigorously for 40 strokes with the wooden spoon or a rubber spatula. Stir in the nuts, if using. Spread evenly in the lined pan.

Bake until a toothpick plunged into the center energes slightly moist with batter, 20-25 minutes. Let cool completely on a rack. Lift up the ends of the parchment or foil liner, and transfer the brownies to a cutting board. Cut into 16 or 25 squares.

Yield: Makes 16 large or 25 smaller brownies.

Maryann's notes: This was a big pain trying to line the pan with parchment paper. Might try foil next time or nothing at all. Also, the brownies were still liquid after 25 minutes and had to bake for 45 minutes.
Maryann

"Drink your tea slowly and reverently..."
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#11
  Re: Best Brownies Ever by Mare749 (I have tried a lot o...)
Crap, Maryann - not nice..... but, they sure sound good. I love anything made with cocoa powder. Maybe sneak these in for Valentine's day dessert.
Retired and having fun writing cookbooks, tasting wine and sharing recipes with all my friends.
www.achefsjourney.com
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#12
  Re: Re: Best Brownies Ever by cjs (Crap, Maryann - not ...)
Those sound amazing! I love good brownies!!
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#13
  Re: Re: Best Brownies Ever by karyn (Those sound amazing!...)
I'm with Jean! This is on for Valentines Day! I'll give all but a couple to the kids.

Maryann, did you crisscross the sheets of parchment or use one big sheet?
Daphne
Keep your mind wide open.
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#14
  Re: Re: Best Brownies Ever by Gourmet_Mom (I'm with Jean! This...)
I attempted to use one big sheet which is really dumb now that I'm thinking about it. Probably should have cut them to fit and crisscrossed. Duh.
Maryann

"Drink your tea slowly and reverently..."
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#15
  Re: Re: Best Brownies Ever by Mare749 (I attempted to use o...)
I have no idea what made me think of doing that, but I have seen it somewhere, and it popped in my head when you described your problem.
Daphne
Keep your mind wide open.
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#16
  Re: Re: Best Brownies Ever by Gourmet_Mom (I have no idea what ...)
I've made this and gave it 4 stars (out of 5);this was my review at the time:These are very good and held well for several days. I think they were actually better on day 2. Very easy to make as well. I did the recipe on an 9X13 even though original said 8X8 so next time it would be good to scale it 2 servings to accommodate the bigger pan. (I never use the recommended foil slings. I just butter if needed, just bottom of Pyrex for brownies.

I also had this in my notes: The result is something that could convert those that believe the all roads to fudgy, dark and rich brownies must be paved bricks of tempered chocolate. And now I’m going to say something that will surely make a good lot of you turn away from this recipe and never look back, although you shouldn’t: I believe these brownies will be especially beloved by people who enjoy box mix brownies. They share a moist, dense crumb, though fortunately — for me at least, who finds the taste of boxed brownies to staggeringly lack — not a flavor. Because the only wet ingredients are eggs, butter and vanilla (and the vanilla could be swapped with a scrape of a fresh bean segment rubbed into sugar), they’d also be ripe for a Homemade Brownie Mix Gift Kit.

I must admit that my favorite brownie has always been Duncan Hines Chewy. I even used to make them in the microwave when there was a recipe for that on the box.

These are my favorite ones ever, better than Alice Medrich's and Duncan Hines imho. Here's the recipe with my notes:

EXPORTED FROM LIVING COOKBOOK:

ON-THE-FENCE BROWNIES***** Fantastic

These have nice crusty tops and edges with the Baker's Edge pan and are chewy elsewhere. Very chocolatey without being overly sweet. Baker's Edge requires 35 minutes baking time, regular pan 30. Did not miss the espresso powder, but will probably try it next time, and will do the dark cocoa ¼ cup sub again. Only one bowl needed to prepare, no mixer needed. I decreased sugar by ¼ cup and omit chocolate chips and nuts.

Oven Temperature: 350°F

Servings: 12 Yield: Two dozen 2" brownies

Preparation: 15 minutes Cooking: 35 minutes Inactive: 15 minutes Total: 1 hour

1 Baker's Edge Pan
8 oz. unsalted butter (2 sticks)
384 g. sugar (2 cups)
112 g. Dutch-process cocoa (1 cup)
24 g. black cocoa (¼ cup)
1 tsp. table salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 TBS. vanilla extract (used double strength)
3 extra-large eggs (4 large)
191 g. King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour (1½ cups)
170 g. bittersweet chocolate chips (1 cup) (optional)
1 tsp. espresso powder (optional)
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Lightly grease the interior of the Baker's Edge or other pan. Preheat oven to 350°.

In an 8 cup Pyrex cup or medium-sized microwave-safe bowl, or in a saucepan set over low heat, melt the butter, then add the sugar and stir to combine. Return the mixture to the heat (or microwave) briefly, just until it's hot (about 110°F to 120°F), but not bubbling; it'll become shiny looking as you stir it. Heating this mixture a second time will dissolve more of the sugar, which will yield a shiny top crust on your brownies.

Stir in the cocoas, salt, baking powder, and vanilla. Whisk in the eggs, stirring until smooth; then add the flour, chips, espresso powder, and nuts, again stirring until smooth. Spoon the batter into a lightly greased 9 x 13-inch pan.

Bake the brownies in a preheated 350°F oven for 35 minutes if using Baker's Edge pan or 28 to 30 minutes for regular pan, until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, or with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it. The brownies should feel set on the edges and in the center (barely). Remove them from the oven and cool on a rack before cutting and serving

Recipe Type: ALINA'S ADAPTATION, BEST, Brownies, Chocolate, Desserts, KAF, Walnuts

Web Page: http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/Prin...ld?RID=470

PS: If you enjoy chewy with a bit of crust, I highly recommend the Baker's Edge Pan. No need to use parchment or foil.
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#17
  Re: Re: Best Brownies Ever by Cubangirl (I've made this and g...)
Sounds like a brownie binge is in my future. But, I can't imagine omitting the espresso - love the added flavor in chocolate.
Retired and having fun writing cookbooks, tasting wine and sharing recipes with all my friends.
www.achefsjourney.com
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#18
  Re: Re: Best Brownies Ever by cjs (Sounds like a browni...)
Oh great, now I have to try ANOTHER brownie recipe!

Espresso powder sounds like a great addition. Probably won't do the dark cocoa because Ron doesn't like dark chocolate like I do.

FYI: Alice's recipe had a note regarding natural cocoa vs. dutch-processed and the tasters liked natural cocoa best.
Maryann

"Drink your tea slowly and reverently..."
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