Cooking Lesson #1103: Ed’s Best Brownies

…from the Perspectives’ Kitchen

How you doin’? I don’t know about you, but I could eat a whole tray of delicious brownies.
 
These brownies never fail. They are easy to make and can be ready to serve in about an hour.
 
One legend about the creation of brownies is that of Bertha Palmer, a prominent Chicago socialite whose husband owned the Palmer House Hotel. In 1893, Palmer asked a pastry chef for a dessert suitable for ladies attending the Chicago World's Columbian Exposition. She requested a dessert that would be smaller than a piece of cake, and easily eaten from boxed lunches. The result was the Palmer House Brownie, made of chocolate with walnuts and an apricot glaze (not a chocolate frosting as we are used to today).
 
The Palmer House Hotel still serves this dessert to patrons made from the same recipe. The name was given to the dessert sometime after 1893, but was not used by cookbooks or journals at the time.
 
In 2021, the food science journalist and home cookery YouTuber Adam Ragusea conducted a series of experiments to discover why modern brownies tend to form a desirably glossy "skin" on their upper crust. In a video reporting his findings, Ragusea asserted that the "skin" was the result of making a batter of high viscosity, with low levels of moisture and sugar well-dissolved into the mixture.
 
Prep time:  20 minutes
Bake time:  25 to 30 minutes
Ready In:  about 1 hour
 
Ingredients 
For the brownies
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
 
For the frosting
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup confectioner’s sugar
 
Directions
To make the brownies

1. Preheat an oven to 350° F.
2. Butter and flour an 8-inch square pan.
3. In a large saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter.  Remove from heat, cool and stir in the sugar, eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla.
4. Beat in 1/3 cup cocoa, 1/2 cup flour, salt and baking powder. Spread batter into prepared pan.
5. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes.  Do not overbake.

To make frosting

1. Combine 3 tablespoons softened butter, 3 tablespoons cocoa, honey, vanilla extract, and confectioners' sugar.
2. Stir until smooth.
3. Frost brownies while they are still warm.

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ChefSecret:  Just 1 tablespoon of honey in the frosting makes a big difference for creating a smooth texture.
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Quip of the Day:  I told my wife I was going to make brownies disappear. She said, “That’s not a magic trick. ” She knows me too well.
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Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to [email protected]. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/perspectives-on-food
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