Friday, December 2, 2011

Brownies


My daughter Meg Anne made this recipe for school and I thought I would share it.  This recipe is from Martha Stewart.

Brownies
Pre-heat Oven:  350 degrees
Makes: 12 Brownies

How to Make Your Mouth Water
A how to by Meg Anne Anast

            To my understanding you probably think that you have the recipe for the world greatest brownies. Well I’m here to tell you that you have it all wrong, and if you follow this recipe your mouth will fall open in shock.  If you follow this you will understand what the world’s greatest brownie actually tastes like, but to do this you will need these materials.
 
v 1 ½ cups of white sugar
v ½ cup (one stick) of softened butter
v 1 teaspoon (tsp.) of vanilla extract
v  ¾ cup of flour
v 8 ounces of bitter sweet chocolate finely chopped
v 4 eggs
v Wooden spoon
v Whisk
v Oven
v Stove top (burner)
v Cooking pot
v Mixing bowl
v Measuring cups 1, 1/2, 1/3, ¼
v Teaspoon
v Scraper
v 8 by 8 baking pan


First, before all things pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.
Ok, now that you have all of your materials, you need to take the cooking pan and set it over the burner. You put in this pan the 8 ounces of bittersweet chocolate and the softened butter. You want the chocolate to be chopped because you are letting these ingredients melt in the pot, so for it to take the lease amount of time, if the chocolate is chopped it will melt quicker.  Like I said, wait for the chocolate and butter to melt and make sure they are well combined. Let these sit until it gets to a slight boil. If somehow everything isn’t melted keep it on, just turn down the heat until everything is melted and well combined. When your mixture has reached this point take it off and let cool for about five minuets.

Then, after your mixture has cooled you add in the 1½-cup of sugar. Now, just keep in mind that it doesn’t mater whether the sugar melts in with the chocolate or not. They will all melt together in the oven anyway.  Once again make sure everything is thoroughly combined.

On to the next step, use your whisk to mix in each of the four eggs. Do this one egg at a time.  When you use a whisk you want to make sure your using one hand in fast and quick circles. This method is great because it combines the eggs really well. Continue mixing until it becomes smooth.

In addition, whisk in the vanilla into the batter.  Soon afterwards, fold in the flour. In other words, use a scraper to scoop and lift the batter up and over each other until you feel its ready to bake! Make sure to do some extra folds to even all the ingredients throughout the batter.  This is extremely crucial to your final product because if half of the flour is on one side of the batter that side will be dry when the other part isn’t. It will also bake unevenly therefore making one side done and the other unbaked and raw.  Point in fact, don’t forget this step. 

Congratulations, you are now done with your batter.  Finally, its time to pull out your 8 by 8 cooking pan, coat the bottom and sides with butter or cooking spray. This eliminates anything from sticking to the bottom. Poor your batter into that pan and sooth the top.  Now your ready to bake! Set this in the oven for 40-45 minuets until done or until a toothpick test comes out clean.

When the brownies come out of the oven, let it cool as you would normally on a wire rack for 15 minutes. At this point you can do whatever you would like, but my personal favorite is to cut the brownies into square pieces, add a scoop of vanilla ice-cream and lay a dollop of wiped cream on top of the brownie piece. You are ready to eat your brownie.

From this point you will try this mini masterpiece and realize what the worlds best brownie really does taste like.  I hope you try this recipe and have fun making it. Happy baking!