The Holy Grail Of Brownies

 

   As you have probably gathered by now, I have been on a baking odyssey of sorts.  Beginning with my interest in pie baking, then moving onto bread baking, and now I have done it... I have found the perfect brownie.  

   It happened quite by accident.  I am sometimes plagued by a sweet tooth.  And this sweet tooth commands sweets, usually sweets that are paired with chocolate.  On this particular day I am remembering, I was in urgent need of sweets.  It was late in the evening.  I dreaded going to the grocery store. I had to find a recipe that did not require sweetened chocolate as I had none in the house.  I did, however, have some fine unsweetened chocolate.  I had, by chance, purchased some E. Guittard chocolate from Williams-Sonoma the day before.  So I had chocolate. I had sugar. I had flour. I had eggs. I had butter. I had vanilla.  I needed a recipe.

   What was I to do now?  Well, I did what ever modern baker does when in need.  I consulted the internet.  And even better than that, I used the Epicurious app on my iphone to find this startlingly simple recipe.  The recipe I found required all of the ingredients that I had in my kitchen. Check. The recipe I found had great reviews. Check.  The recipe I found was super simple. Check.  The recipe I found was Katherine Hepburn's family recipe. Really??  

   Yes indeed. And the only thing to do was to mix up the brownies, in one bowl by the way, bake them and see just how awesome they really were.  Were they everything I expected.  Oh my... these brownies were thin and gooey, but with a crunchy layer on top. These are perfect brownies.  If you are looking for an easy, basic brownie recipe, this is the only one you will ever use!  Katherine Hepburn's family had it so right. 

Katherine Hepburn's Brownies

Ingredients

1 stick of butter (8 tablespoons)

1/4 unsweetened chocolate ( 2 squares)

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon vanilla (although I added 1 teaspoon)

1/4 cup all purpose flour

Preparation

1. Melt together butter and chocolate.

2. Stir in 1 cup sugar, add 2 eggs and vanilla, and beat the mixture well.

3. Stir in 1/4 cup flour and salt. (If you like nuts 1 cup of chopped walnuts can be added here)

4. Bake brownies in a buttered and floured 8 inch square pan at 325 F for 40 minutes.

  These brownies are the bomb!! They surpass all others that have come before.  For a little variation try adding 1 teaspoon on cinnamon.  Yummy, yummy, yumminess!!!

   Try em' you'll love em'!