Blonde Brownies

Apparently real Blonde Brownies are not made by baking chocolate chip cookie dough in a pan, something I've done in the past when crunched for time.  In this recipe the dough is made using cake flour and the chocolate chips are sprinkled on the top just before baking.  I made a big pan of these yesterday for my husband to take up to scout camp last night with instructions to take pictures of the boys eating them.  They were wolfed down so fast he didn't even get the chance to snap one photo.  I don't know if that speaks to the quality of the brownies or to the quality of the food at scout camp!
This recipe came from the LA Times under the heading "Cooky Jar Favorite."

1 cup sifted cake flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup butter or margarine
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chocolate chips

Sift together flour, baking powder, soda and salt.  Add nuts and mix well.  Melt butter in saucepan, remove from heat and mix in sugar.  Cool slightly and blend in egg and vanilla.  Add flour mixture a small amount at a time, mixing well after each addition.  Turn into greased 9-inch square pan.  Sprinkle chocolate chips over top and bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.  (Do not overbake.)  Cool in pan and cut into 1 1/2 inch x 2 1/4 bars.  Makes 2 dozen bars.

Ruth's Brownies

The second recipe in our series looks to be well used, so I believe this is the brownie recipe we grew up on.  It's quite good and proves why brownies should be a bar cookie, not a gooey blob of fudge.

1/2 cup shortening
2 squares (1 ounce each) unsweetened chocolate

2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup sifted flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup walnuts (optional)

Melt shortening and chocolate together over very low heat, stirring constantly; cool.  Beat eggs until light, then stir in sugar.  Add chocolate mixture and vanilla.  Add sifted dry ingredients, mixing well.  Add nuts.  Bake in greased 8x8 pan at 350 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes.  Cool.

Leola's Brownies

With over 16 different recipes in her collection, it's clear Mom had a love for brownies.  I'm not sure which was her favorite, but a few are a bit tattered and stained (always a good indication of a winner).  So today I'm starting a blog "series" in which I will make and publish one brownie recipe a week.  I may gain ten pounds in the process, but I'm willing to make that sacrifice in the name of culinary curiosity. Which is better, cake-like or fudge-like brownies?  Could zucchini or low-fat brownies actually taste good?   How about rocky-road brownies?  Or two-tone brownies?  Stay tuned.

Here is brownie recipe #1, courtesy of Leola Ord.  It's a yummy cake-like brownie with a marshmallow topping followed by a rich chocolate icing.  Be warned:  you have to wait 8 hours after frosting the brownies to let the marshmallow set.  This could be a problem if you're having a major chocolate craving and can't wait to dig in!

   1 cup margarine
   1/3 cup cocoa
   2 cups sugar
   4 eggs
   1 1/2 cups flour
   2 teaspoons baking powder
   1 teaspoon vanilla
   1 cup chopped nuts
    mini-marshmallows (about 2 cups)

Beat together margarine, cocoa and sugar.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating well.  Add flour, baking powder, vanilla and nuts.

Spread into a greased 9 x 13 pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.  (Note:  I needed to bake mine for an extra five minutes or so.)  When done pile marshmallows over the top.  Put back in oven just until melted, about three minutes.  Cool 1 hour.

Icing

1/2 cup margarine
1/3 cup cocoa
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
evaporated milk, enough to make a proper consistency

Beat all ingredients until smooth.  Frost over  marshmallows.  Let set 8 hours before serving.