Everyday Easy Brownies Recipes

EVERYDAY BROWNIES

Steps:

• It's not as if I were short of a brownie recipe or two: I have over the years made them on easy autopilot; but I am no less grateful for this everyday, no-notice version. They are less extravagant - I use cocoa powder in place of the good-quality chocolate, and stud the mixture with a newstand's or convenience store's bar or two of milk chocolate - although to taste them, you would never, never guess. They ooze with such dark elegance and deep, deep chocolatiness.
• This is the recipe you turn to when a child or colleague informs you last thing that you're expected to bake something for a bake sale tomorrow. You can just smile serenely and head for the cupboard. If you're working from a more restrained array, so are clean out of light brown sugar, and there's no chance to nip to a convenience store for the chocolate, then just use 1 1/2 cups regular white sugar and up the butter to 1 1/2 and the cocoa to a heady 1 cup.
• A final note or, rather, nag: when I say cocoa powder, I do mean unsweetened cocoa; do not under any circumstance ever substitute drinking chocolate.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Melt the butter over a gentle heat in a medium-sized saucepan.
• When it's melted, add the sugar, stirring with a wooden spoon (still over a low heat) to help it blend with the melted butter.
• Whisk together the cocoa powder, flour, baking soda and pinch of salt, and then stir into the pan; when mixed (this will be a very dry mixture, and not wholly blended at this stage), remove from the heat.
• In a bowl or jug, whisk the eggs with the vanilla extract and then mix into the brownie mixture in the pan.
• Stir in the chopped chocolate and quickly pour and scrape into a foil-lined baking tin or disposable foil pan, spreading the mixture with a spatula, and cook in the preheated oven for about 20 to 25 minutes. It will look set, dark and dry on top, but when you feel the surface, you will sense it is still wibbly underneath and a cake tester will come out gungy. This is desirable.
• Transfer the pan to a rack to cool a little before cutting into 16 pieces and dusting with confectioners' sugar. I love these gorgeously warm. But then again, I love them cold, too. Actually, when cold they are properly speaking more brownie-like: gooily tender within and moreishly chewy on top.
• Make Ahead Note: The brownies can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored in airtight container. Will keep for total of 5 days.
• Freeze Note: The brownies can be frozen for up to 3 months in airtight container, layered with baking parchment. Thaw overnight in cool place.

EVERYDAY EASY BROWNIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350F
• Microwave butter and chocolate in large microwaveable bowl on Medium 3 minutes or until butter is melted. Stir until chocolate is completely melted.
• Add eggs; beat until well blended. Srir in sugar, flour and walnuts. Spread into greased 13x9-inch baking pan.
• Bake 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with the fudgy crumbs. (Do not overbake). Cut into 24 squares to serve.
• PHILADELPHIA SWIRL BROWNIES: Prepare brownie batter and spread in baking pan as directed; set aside. Mix 1 package (250g) softened Philadelphia cream cheese and 1/4 cup sugar until well blended. Stir in 2 tablespoons Pure red Raspberry jam and 1 egg. Drop teaspoonfuls of the cream cheese mixture over brownie batter in pan; cut through batters several times with knife for marble effect. Bake as directed. Cool completely. Cut into squares as directed. Store in tightly covered containers in refrigerator.
• ROCKY ROAD BROWNIES: Prepare as directed, topping the brownies wirh miniature marshmallows and Baker's semisweet chocolate chips for the last 5 minutes of the baking time.
• PEANUT BUTTER SWIRL BROWNIES: Prepare as directed. Immediately after removing brownies from oven, drop 12 tablespoons of Peanut Butter over hot brownies; sprinkle with 2 squares chopped Baker's semisweet chocolate. Let stand until melted, then swirl lightly with knife for marble effect. Cool completely before cutting to serve.
• EASY FROSTING: Prepare brownies as directed; cool completely. Prepare 1 package (113g) instant pudding, chocolate, vanilla or butterscotch flavor as directed on package; reducing the milk to 1 1/2 cups. Gently stir in 1 cup thawed Cool Whip Topping . Spread over brownies. REfrigerate until set.

ABSOLUTELY BEST BROWNIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour an 8x8 or 9x9 inch baking pan.
• In a medium bowl, beat together the butter and sugar. Add eggs, and mix well. Combine the flour, cocoa and salt; stir into the sugar mixture. Mix in the vanilla and stir in walnuts if desired. Spread evenly into the prepared pan.
• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are firm. Cool before cutting into squares.

QUICK AND EASY BROWNIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x13-inch pan.
• Combine the melted butter, sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, eggs, flour, baking powder, and salt. Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Decorate with walnut halves, if desired.
• Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with crumbs, not wet. Cool on wire rack.