SuperBrownies

by Chefs Julie & Steve

Have you ever looked for the world's best brownie recipe? This one may well be it! That's why we've dubbed it "SuperBrownies."

These brownies turn out oh-so-gooey in all the right places, and they rise so high that they are easily mistaken for cake!

SuperBrownies also garnered rave reviews from folks in our churches in both Hudson Bay and Arborfield (120 km / 80 miles from here). These are people who KNOW cooking...farmers, home canners and bakers extraordinaire. With them, these brownies were such a hit that if you blinked, you'd miss getting one. (Hence the lack of photo with this recipe - the brownies just disappeared too fast!)

Curious yet? Or maybe a little hungry? Without further ado, here's the recipe:

1 cup flour
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup butter
1 1/4 cups sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line 9-inch square baking pan with enough foil to overhang two sides by 2 inches. Coat foil with cooking spray.  Combine flour, cocoa, salt and baking powder; reserve. In microwave-safe bowl, microwave chocolate chips and butter on high in 20-second intervals, stirring each time, until melted. Whisk in sugar, eggs and vanilla until blended. Stir in flour mixture until smooth. Spread in pan. Bake 30-35 minutes or until pick inserted into centre comes out clean. (Do not overbake. Cooking and testing by 5-minute intervals toward the end helps.) Cool on rack 15 minutes. Use foil to lift from pan. Cool completely before cutting. Makes 16 good-sized servings.

Variations we recommend:

1. Strawberry White Chocolate SuperBrownies
Prepare batter as above, then stir 1/2 cup strawberry (or other berry) jam into batter. Then stir in 3/4 cup white chocolate chips (not melted). Bake 40-45 minutes, testing as in regular recipe. Meanwhile, buy or prepare 1 can vanilla icing, then stir into it 1/2 cup berry jam, plus pink or red food colouring. (The  jam in the icing tastes amazing - it's Steve's invention.) Ice brownies when cool. Garnish with fresh berries, if desired.

2. Mint Chocolate SuperBrownies, aka St. Patrick's Day Brownies
Prepare batter as above, then cut 10 mint Oreo cookies into quarters. Stir into batter. (If you cannot find mint Oreos, use regular ones. Then, for the mint flavour, substitute mint chocolate chips for semi-sweet ones in the regular recipe.) Bake 35-40 minutes, testing as in regular recipe. Meanwhile, buy or prepare 1 can vanilla icing, add green food colouring, and add mint flavouring if desired. Ice brownies when cool. Garnish with Oreo pieces or crumbs.

3. SuperBrownies with Ice Cream
Friends in Arborfield, Ken & Betty Edwards, suggested adding ice cream as a topping to any of the above SuperBrownie variations. It's to die for...give it a try!

- recipe is modified from Woman's World, p. 27, 8/3/09.