Brownies (for Valentine's Day and Every Day)

Is it too early for Valentine's Day baking? I think not, considering that many retail establishments display Christmas decorations right after Labor Day (or so it seems).

Brownies are one of the easiest baked goods to prepare, and are one of the most beloved for good reason. Simple, delicious, and chocolate -- what's not to love? There are probably millions of recipes for brownies, and this c. 1950s vintage recipe is pretty darn good. Using a cookie cutter, I made them February 14th-appropriate by stamping out heart shapes.

Start by chopping some unsweetened chocolate. Because chocolate is the star in these bar cookies, it's worth investing in a premium brand. I used Scharffen Berger, which has a very fruity taste, but there are many other excellent brands out there, like Valrhona and Callebaut.

Melt the butter and chocolate in a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, then mix up the rest of the batter.

This recipe creates a very stiff batter. Be sure to grease the pan, or line it with parchment paper.

Use a spatula to smooth it to the edges of the pan.

Because there is no salt in the recipe, I decided to sprinkle the batter with sea salt before baking.

Cut into squares or whatever shape your heart desires.

A light dusting of confectioner's sugar makes for a nicer presentation.

The negative space created by the cut-outs are a special treat for the baker.

Production notes: I followed this exactly, but wrote out the recipe below for ease of preparation. I also sprinkled sea salt over the batter before baking. These brownies are not overly chocolate-y, which is typical of mid-20th century recipes. I used one 9 x 12 inch pan. If you plan on cutting out shapes, you might leave out the nuts (I didn't) and consider investing in a very high quality cookie cutter. I swear by those made of copper; they are strong, have a good cutting edge and retain their shape.

 

Brownies

Preheat oven to 350 F
Grease a 9 x 12 inch pan (or line with parchment paper)

3 squares (ounces) unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 stick unsalted butter
3 eggs
1 1/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 t. baking powder
1 t. vanilla
1 c. chopped walnuts

In a double boiler (or a bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water), melt the butter and chocolate. Set aside to cool slightly.
Beat three eggs.
Add sugar gradually.
Add the flour and baking powder (which you've mixed together)
Add the vanilla.
Stir in nuts.
Place batter in pan and smooth until it reaches the edges.
Optional: Sprinkle some sea salt on top.
Bake 15 to 20 minutes.
Let cool slightly and cut into squares. Or hearts.

Peanutty Caramel Squares

Some who say a Snickers bar can't be improved have probably never tried Peanutty Caramel Squares. These three-layer bar cookies -- with a Snickers filling -- would make a great lunch box snack (if schools still allow peanuts, that is).

This recipe dates from the late 1960s or early 1970s, as it calls for four regular Snickers bars or 10 "fun size." The latter weren't introduced until 1968.

I served these at a family barbecue, where they quickly disappeared and were especially beloved by my brand-new son-in-law. Luckily he bike races, so he can eat sweets (and everything else) with abandon.

Begin by purchasing Snickers bars, below, with the not-so-subliminal message "Satisfies" on the back of the package.

Over low heat, melt the Snickers bars, with milk and butter in a saucepan.

Add the coconut and almond extract.

Make the crust and place in a greased or parchment-lined 8 x 8 inch baking pan, reserving 1/2 cup for the topping. (You should make the crust before starting the filling.  I just put the fun part first in this post.)

Pat down until smooth.  I use gloves for this task.

Bake until golden brown.

Pour the chocolate filling over the crust.

Sprinkle the reserved crumbs over the chocolate filling.

Bake, remove from oven and cut into squares.

Chocolate Brownies with Mocha Frosting

These are really mini-cupcakes, though the original recipe in the c. 1930 Settlement Cook Book, calls them brownies. I call them delicious.

They are easy to make, and even easier to eat.  I made these last year to serve at a commemorative event for the Triangle shirtwaist fire centennial held at Henry Street Settlement.  And I made them last week to serve to colleagues at Henry Street.  In my book, having chocolate on the agenda enhances all Friday afternoon meetings.

The mocha frosting was wonderful, but I can't share the recipe.  Not because it's some guarded secret but because, flummoxed and frustrated with the math required to increase the volume of the original recipe, I just did it by instinct.  However, you can use the Magnolia Bakery vanilla buttercream recipe, replacing some of the powdered sugar with cocoa powder, and some of the milk with strong brewed coffee, both to taste.  This is a very forgiving recipe if you follow the simple technique, so don't be intimidated.   You can use a large star tip on the pastry bag if you want to create a pretty design (and have the frosting task go very quickly) but you can also just dollop the frosting atop the brownies with a small butter knife.

Production notes: Here's the original recipe from the Settlement Cook Book.  I love that it uses brown sugar, which gives the cakes a richer flavor.   Make sure the butter is at room temperature and I used buttermilk for the sour milk.
This made 48 mini-cupcakes, not the 60 promised in the recipe.

BROWNIES
1 cup brown sugar
1 square melted chocolate
½ cup butter
½ cup sour milk
1 egg
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon soda
Mix flour and soda. Cream butter and sugar; add egg, chocolate and the milk alternately with the flour mixture. Grease small timbale moulds; place one teaspoon full of the mixture in each and bake in a moderate oven 10 to 15 minutes. Makes 60 little cakes. Frost with Coffee Filling page 327.

Toll House CUPCAKES

Yes, you read that right.  Cupcakes, not cookies.  And they will change your life.  Well, if not exactly change it, then at least temporarily elevate your mood.  Every one of my tasters -- and these folks do a lot of tasting -- said, and I quote: "Amazing!" "Fabulous!" "These are sooo good!"  "The best thing you've ever made."

Plus, and this is a big plus, I've never, ever seen any recipe like this.  And unique is hard to come by in the baking world, but here is something new (and delicious) under the sun, discovered in an old box of recipes in my collection.  Finding a recipe like this -- a treasured gem from the past -- is exactly why I started my quest two years ago.

These have a lot going on: A cookie crust, a mousse-like chocolate center and a meringue-like top.  And they are so easy that anyone can prepare them. What's not to love?

First, you bake the "cups."  The batter is easy enough to whip up.

Spoon the batter into the muffin tins.  It need not be perfect, or even smoothed down. Don't worry if the batter doesn't fill up the cups.  The magic will happen in the oven.

When you pull the tins from the oven, the cookie cups might look a bit strange.  Just let them cool a bit, and they will assume the proper shape.

Next, prepare the filling.

Spoon filling into the cups and place the pans in the oven.

Voila!  You've just made yourself (and whoever you choose to share these with) very, very happy.

This photo doesn't do these justice, but I wanted to reveal the insides of this treat.
I found the mimeographed recipe on a torn sheet of paper in one of my vintage recipe boxes.  I suspect it might be from the 1960s.

Brownies (Best Recipe)

A new study from the University of Cambridge touting the health benefits of chocolate sent me right to the kitchen last night to whip up a batch of brownies from a recipe in Olive's collection.  The recipe, attributed to one Babe Gregware, is labeled (Best Recipe), so I just had to try it, health benefits or not.

The verdict?  Excellent, very chocolate-y brownies.  DH called them "old-fashioned," quickly adding "not in a bad way."   They are not exceedingly sweet and have a lovely, fudge-like texture that hold together much better than more modern versions.   The recipe didn't specify what size pan, so I used a 9 x 12 one, thinking that because of the four eggs, they would rise.  But they didn't, yielding a thin brownie.  I do think this recipe would work well in an 8 or 9-inch square pan if you want a heftier brownie.

Whenever chocolate is the star of a recipe, as it is in brownies,  I suggest using a high quality product (like Scharfenberger or Valrhona) as opposed to Baker's.  The result is well worth it and, after all, it's for your good health, so splurge a little.