The other night I was thumbing through my recipe file, and I noted that I have seven different recipes for brownies. Nearly every cookbook on my shelf has at least one brownie recipe. This one is the best! You might think that your recipe is better. Try this one; I think it will change your mind.
I am faced with something of a philosophical dilemma in how to present this recipe. On the one hand, I am a purist: brownies are brownies; do not mess with perfection. On the other hand, little touches are always nice. We sometimes add pecans or chocolate chips or both to this recipe. We usually serve these with milk. (I hate milk, but brownies should be eaten with milk!) However, sometimes we top them with ice cream and hot fudge sauce. Ben and Jerry's Chocolate Heath Bar Crunch on top of these brownies, topped with hot fudge sauce (and I suppose a little whipped cream would not hurt)--well, that might just be the definition of heaven. I have resolved my dilemma by stating it. Perfection or heaven! You choose.
Ingredients
4 squares Unsweetened Chocolate
1/4 lb. Butter
2 Cups Sugar
1 Cup Flour
1 tsp. Vanilla
1/4 tsp. Salt
4 Extra Large Eggs
Few recipes are simpler than this one. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Melt the chocolate and the butter together. Stir in the other ingredients. Pour the batter into a 9" x 13" brownie pan. Bake for 20-25 minutes. The only trick to cooking these brownies is when to take them out. Test them for doneness with a cake tester or toothpick. They should be very moist. They are done when your tester comes out quite dry around the edges but what you are certain is too wet in the center. You will not believe that you will be able to cut them. You will. Remove them from the oven and let them cool on a rack before cutting. Please believe what I am writing and not your instincts. Do not overcook these brownies or they will leave the realm of unbelievable goodness and return to simply marvelous!
It is important that people who are cooking keep their goals in mind. My goal is almost always marvelous taste, with ease of preparation. At times, however, I also care how my desserts look. Here is a variation for brownies which changes the taste a little--I almost said "enhances the taste" but you really cannot improve on basic chocolate, you can just vary it. One of the best parts about this icing is that it makes your brownies look spectacular.
Ingredients
2 Tbs. Butter (at room temperature)
1 Cup Confectioners' Sugar (sifted)
1 Tbs. Heavy Cream
1/2 tsp. Peppermint Extract
1 square Unsweetened Chocolate
1 Tbs. Butter
Beat the first four ingredients together until very smooth. Frost the brownies. Place the brownies in the refrigerator for 5 minutes. While the brownies are in the refrigerator, melt the chocolate and the butter in the top of a double boiler, stirring until completely smooth. Pour this glaze over the chilled icing; tilt the pan in all directions so that you have a very, very thin layer of the chocolate glaze. Return to the refrigerator just long enough for the glaze to begin to dull. Then cut the brownies. If you wait too long, the frosting will crack as you cut it. It will still taste as good, but it will not look quite so spectacular.