I cannot tell a (baking-related) lie. I use boxed, store-bought brownie mix. To me, the ultimate brownie not only has an over-the-top, amazing, “Oh my gosh I need a glass of milk right now to wash this down” chocolate flavor but is of the fudge and not the cake variety. Despite my various efforts, my made from scratch attempts were oily and bland. Come to think if it, I’ve even found many boxed mixes to be disappointments as well. They’re too bland, too dry, not rich enough. While I do make a pretty mean Brownie Chocolate Chip cookie, when it comes to actual brownies, everyone else’s always taste better.
I poached this recipe from a childhood friend Jeanne. Jeanne’s sister Jackie was technically my friend but as Jeanne was only a year older than Jackie their friendship came as a pair. In fact, they are one of two pairs of sisters that I grew up that always did (and does still to this day) make me lament the fact that I was an only child.
The cold weather and the fact that we’re gone into hibernation made has made me want to bake brownies and when I put out an SOS for a recipe Jeanne came to my rescue. The fact that the recipe hails from a magazine we poured over together as teenagers – Seventeen Magazine – makes it even funnier.
Ingredients:1 1/3 cup flour1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt1 cup butter2 cups sugar
4 eggs1 cup powdered cocoa1/4 cup milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla1 cup chopped walnuts (optional but I prefer pecans)
Confectioner’s sugarInstructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a 13x9x2 baking pan. In a small bowl mix the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a medium saucepan melt the butter and then stir until it’s blended. Pour the mixture into a large bowl and blend in the sugar with an electric mixer. Add the eggs until well blended and then blend into the flour and mix until it is smooth. Blend in the milk and vanilla and stir in the nuts. Pour into the ban and bake 25-30 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar, if desired. Enjoy!
One of my absolute favorite things to do is to curl up with a good old-fashioned paper magazine and while I’m not certain whether Jackie and Jeanne would agree but I’d do anything to be Seventeen again.
As for telling non-baking lies? Let’s just say I should have earned an Academy Award for Best Actress for my over-the top enthusiasm for some less-than enthusiastic Christmas gifts.
Felicia Fisher is the founder of the Black Buggy Baking Company and lives in Oley, Pa. with her husband and three children who are all willing taste-testers. For more information on what Felicia’s baking up visit her web page www.blackbuggybakingcompany.com or e-mail her at blackbuggybakingcompany@yahoo.com.
