brownies

Growing up, I very firmly believed that brownies came from a box.  One day during college, my roommate made brownies from scratch and it absolutely blew my  mind.  I had no idea people could do such a thing!  She used baking cocoa and flour and before I knew what had happened, I took a bite of one of the most delicious brownies this batter loving girl had ever bitten into.  But since I'm a creature of habit, I continued in my boxed brownie ways until I landed in Cyprus, where boxed anything is scarce and three times as expensive as scratch if you can find it.  So I had to learn how to make them on my own.

My mother-in-law is a culinary genius and was my go-to for a recipe.  She absolutely did not disappoint.  Her standby brownie recipe came from a dear friend and it is now what I take to every church social or potluck.  Easy, soft, chewy, moist, and just the right amount of chocolate.  This boxed brownie girl is now a firm believer in baking from scratch thanks to these!

.....

Basic Brownies

ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine
4 squares (about 3/4 cup) unsweetened baking chocolate
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup sifted flour*
1 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1, 6 ounce package semisweet chocolate chips (optional)


directions

In a double boiler, melt butter and chocolate.  When melted, remove from heat.
Beat in sugar gradually with a wooden spoon until mixed.
Add eggs, beat mixture well.
Stir in vanilla.
Stir in flour until well mixed.
At this point, add 1 cup walnuts if wanted.
Spread in greased 9x13 pan.

Bake at 350 ᴼ F for 35 minutes or until springs back when lightly pressed with fingertips.


notes

*I tend to make this recipe with 1 1/2 to 2 cups of sifted flour, depending on how wet the mixture is.  Cypriot flour is a lot different apparently!

I also bake this for close to an hour, again..different ovens, different baking times.  This is a VERY moist brownie, so even when baked thoroughly, it will still look a bit wet.