Brownies...And We Are Not Talking Of Girl Scouts!!

 This recipe is dedicated to Alexia

and to memories past

Yesterday my daughter had lunch with two of her high school girlfriends whom she hadn't seen in a long time.  As they were discussing memories past, one of her friends recalled the brownies I used to make which they love so much during the kiddy parties. When Barbara told me about the discussion, I immediately thought of sharing the recipe with you. Mind you, the recipe had been inspired by Betty Crocker's thirty years ago but has evolved through the years.
They must be chewy, slightly crispy on the first bite, and chocolaty with the back taste of hazel nuts. They can be topped with a nice glossy chocolate frosting, or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
You will need :
Serves 30 squares depending how you cut them.

-  2/3  cup margarine or butter.

-  150 gms. Kitchen chocolate 52%  min cocoa cut up in small pieces so it melts quicker.

-  1 ½ cups sugar.

-  2 tsp. liquid vanilla extract. 

-  3 eggs.

-  1 cup all purpose flour.

-  1 cup chopped nuts

Method: 
-  Preheat oven to 180 degrees C.  
-  Heat margarine and chocolate over low heat, stirring constantly, until melted.  Cool slightly.    
-  Beat sugar, vanilla and eggs on high speed for 5 minutes not less to expel egg odor.

   -  Beat in chocolate mixture on low speed.

       -   Beat in flour just until blende
       - Stir in nuts.

    - Spread in completely lined with oven paper a square pan 10 x 10 x 2 inches.

   -   Bake 40 to 45 minutes max take out of oven without checking if done.   Let cool, then invert the pan on your working table.  It will easily drop out of the pan, peal the paper off and let cool completely.

        IMPORTANT NOTE:

   Out of personal experience, you have to line the whole pan (including the sides) with one piece of oven proof paper, brush it with butter BEFORE you pour the mix.  This will make your life much easier and you won't even need to wash the pan.

I personally put chocolate frosting on top so that is why I keep extra chopped nuts to put on top as a decoration (½ cup).

Ingredients for Glossy Chocolate Frosting:

-  3 Tbsp. butter.

-  85 gms kitchen chocolate.

-  2 cups powdered sugar.

- ¼ tsp. salt.

-  1/3 cup milk

-  1 tsp. liquid vanilla extract.


Method: 
- Heat shortening and chocolate in saucepan over low heat until melted.
- Stir in remaining ingredients except the milk. If mixture is very thick add just a wee bit of milk, to make the
frosting more workable. Add more later if needed.
- Beat until smooth and of spreading consistency. Add more milk if necessary.
- Stir in ½ cup of nuts if you wish.
- Spread top and sides with frosting.
- Sprinkle some extra nuts   
 -Cut to desired measure.  It is your choice to cut into as many squares as you wish.

There is another way to make brownies: Cocoa instead of Chocolate.

You will need:
-  1 cup sugar.
-  ½ cup margarine or butter, softened.
-  1 tsp. vanilla.
-  2 eggs.
-  2/3 cups all-purpose flour.
-  ½ cup cocoa powder.
-  ½ cup chopped nuts.
-  ½ tsp. baking powder.
-  ½ tsp. salt.
Method:
-  Heat oven to 180 degrees C.
-  Mix sugar, margarine, vanilla and eggs. 
-  Stir in remaining ingredients.
-  Spread in oven paper lined square pan (one sheet covering bottom and sides)20 cm x 20 cm x 5.
-  Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until wooden pick comes out clean.
-  Take out from oven, let cool slightly and just pick paper sides up to un mold the cake.
-  Let cool completely.
For the Cocoa Fudge Frosting.
-  ½ cup granulated sugar.
-  2 Tbsp. cocoa.
-  ¼ cup milk.
-  2 Tbsp. margarine or butter.
-  1 Tbsp. light corn syrup.
-  Pinch of salt.
-  ½ to ¾ powdered sugar.
-  ½ tsp. vanilla.
Method:
-  Mix granulated sugar and cocoa in a saucepan.
-  Stir in half of the milk, margarine, corn syrup and salt.
-  Heat to boiling, stirring continuously for 3 minutes.
-  Beat in powdered sugar and vanilla.
-  If the resulting frosting is too thick to spread, add some more milk until you obtain the correct consistency. That is why you may not want to add all the milk at once lest your frosting comes out too runny.
-  Add 3 Tbsp. of crushed nut.
-  Spread.
Cut with a long sharp knife in squares any size you wish.
Serve with vanilla ice-cream.
Stelio