Tasty Treat: Fudgy Brownies

I had the very best intentions to share with you my Horsey Grandma's recipe for brownies. Hers are a bit fluffier and cakier and, while I prefer a chewy brownie, I grew up on these and they're darn good. You might be wondering why I call my dear grandmother Horsey. In an effort to differentiate between our grandparents and because my father's parents lived on a farm, adding the Horsey prefix was only natural. Of course, the other explanation is my father had a penchant for nicknames and his sense of humor always leaned towards sadism. My nickname was Poo Bear as in poo poo not Winnie. He only knew baby girl for nine months, but she was swiftly dubbed Grumpenella due to her colic. I really do miss his way with words.

My intentions to bring Horsey Grandma's brownies to you were dashed when I searched high and low through every cookbook, notebook and file; I couldn't find the recipe. I finally came across something labeled Horsey Grandma's Brownies, but upon perusing the ingredients, I knew this wasn't hers. It's actually mine developed several years ago in an effort to make my grandmother's brownies chewier and fudgier. The other night I decided to give it a go and boy are these brownies fudgy and chewy around the edges. I'll call Horsey Grandma to get the original, but for now, all you chocolate lovers, here's a great recipe I'm thrilled to have rediscovered.

Horsey Grandma's Peggy's Fudgy Brownies

(These are great for entertaining topped with just a sprinkle of powdered sugar. Seal them well and they'll last for days.) 

What You'll Need:

8 oz. Semisweet Chocolate

2 tbsp Cocao Powder

1/2 cup Butter

2/3 Cup Sugar

1 1/2 tsp Salt

2 eggs

1tbsp Vanilla Extract

1 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 cup White Whole Wheat Flour

Preheat the oven to 350 and grease an 8 inch square brownie pan. To make the brownies even easier to remove, cut a square of parchment paper and lay it down on the bottom of the pan. I'm doing that next time. 

Add the chocolate, cocao powder, butter, sugar and salt to a medium pot and set over a very low heat. Stir constantly until the chocolate is melted and everything is well combined. Remove from the heat and test with your fingertip to make sure it's not hot to the touch. If it is, let it cool.

Once the mixture is cool, add the eggs and vanilla extract. Mix well. Add the baking powder and flour and mix well. Scrape the batter into the greased pan and spread the batter to the edges. Pop in the oven and cook until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. About 25-30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let them cool in the pan on a rack.

Approximate Dinner Cost:
Groceries: $6
Cost per Meal: Expect 16-32 brownies depending on how small you cut them.