Momma Sally's Brownies

This post is going to be short and sweet - just like Momma Sally, Gabe's wonderful grandmother!  She grew up in the Midwest meaning she's genetically predisposed to having the cooking gene.  She's also a fantastic gardener, brilliant storyteller, devout churchgoer and an all around amazing matriarch to this family.  

Isn't she adorable??

Don't let that sweet exterior fool you though, she's tough as nails and fiercely independent.  Even though we aren't related by blood, I think of her as my own grandmother - the last living grandparent I have.  Thanks for being such a wonderful person and example for the rest of us, Sal.  xoxoxo

These brownies are awesome.  Very simple ingredients and a great brownie comes out of the oven every time.  Excellent basic recipe that I like to throw lots of different things in to and see how badly I can annoy Gabe.

Probably Gabe's biggest annoyance factor - nuts!

Momma Sally's Famous Brownies

makes 1 8x8" or 9x9" pan - could be considered a single serving size if one tries hard enough

2 sq (2 oz) unsweetened baking chocolate (found in the baking aisle)
1 stick butter (1/2 cup)
1 c sugar
2 eggs
1/2 c flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
pinch of salt

Preheat oven at 350 degrees.  Melt chocolate and butter together, either in the microwave (for 30 second intervals, stirring between) or over a double boiler until just melted. Set aside to cool slightly.

First add the sugar to the chocolate mixture, then vanilla, salt, eggs, and finally the flour, stirring only enough to incorporate the flour.  Do not over beat.

Bake at 350, for 25-30 minutes. The edges should be pulling away, and the top of the center of the brownies be a little springy then you gently tap with your finger. You can also test by inserting a knife in the middle.

Notes: 

Of course I couldn't leave well enough alone.  Sometimes I knock down the sugar to about 1/2 c if I know I'll be adding in another sweet ingredient.  I've lessened the flour as well to make a more fudgy brownie.  Play with it and make it your own!

You can also try some different combinations of the below.  Most on this list would annoy Gabe.. 

Chocolate Brownie Pudding

As defined by Merriam-Webster, the definition for chocoholic is:

: a person who craves or compulsively consumes chocolate

They may as well put a picture of Gabe there too.

Who doesn't love brownies? Who doesn't love rich chocolate pudding? Why not make both? This thing is like molten chocolate cake. If I make it again, I'll use less flour to make it even more rich. And I didn't have any vanilla beans laying around. While they DO sell them at Costco now, I'm just not into spending that much money two vanilla beans. Maybe I'll try the original recipe someday but for now, this version is going to be just fine by me.

Brownie Pudding

Makes 4 generous servings



Adapted from The Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics Cookbook - I cut the recipe in half since I know Gabe has a problem controlling himself around gooey chocolaty things.

1 c. sugar
2 eggs (I use extra large, room temp)
8 tbsp. butter (1 stick, room temp)
1/4 c. flour
3/4 c. cocoa powder 1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 packet Starbucks VIA Italian Roast instant coffee

Preheat oven 325ºF.


In a stand mixer..

..beat the eggs and sugar..

..until very pale yellow and fluffy. This will take about 5 minutes.


In the mean time, melt one stick of butter (1/4 c.) in the microwave and set aside to cool:


And save the wrapper to butter the gratin dishes. Mine were about 6" wide and about 1" deep. These would also do really well in small ramekins too.

Barefoot does hers in a 9" oval dish, but I'm not about sharing so I like to have one all to myself. Also, smaller dishes mean shorter cooking times (read: the faster you can eat it).


Sift the dry ingredients together. You know how I feel about lumpy flour, no likey.

Sift the cocoa powder too, it gets lumpy. Damn lumps.

But make sure you take a deep breath before you do, since this is what happens when you sift cocoa powder:

See? Told you.

Add the vanilla to the egg/sugar mixture:

Then you need one of these. You can definitely use instant espresso or instant coffee, but why not use the best? I throw one of these into pretty much anything chocolate I make:

Sift it too, just for fun:

There's all the dry stuff..

Now, on the low setting, add the mixture into the wet in 2 batches.


Until everyone's juuuuuust combined.

There.

Now, don't forget about that butter. Pour it in and mix for another 15 seconds.

Beautiful.
Now, scrap the bowl down w/ one of your personalized spatulas you got for your bday:

Oh, you don't have a set of personalized spatulas? Then maybe you should be friends w/ my friend, Tien. She loves me.

Scrapey scrapey.

Buttered gratins:

Pour mixture in until 1/2 to 2/3 full..

Oh. So beautiful.


Put them into a pan that will hold the gratins and water. This helps keep the stuff moist. Eehh. I hate that word..moist. Pour water up to the halfway point on whatever baking dish you decide to use.

35 minutes later..

Ohhhh.