Basic Brownies and More

Make Chocolate Brownies, Raspberry Brownies, or Cappucino Brownies

Jan 24, 2009 Deborah Harding

Brownies are easy to make and make a good any time snack. Make a basic brownie and frost it if you like. Also included are recipes for raspberry and cappuccino brownies

Brownies are an old fashion comfort food. Moms made them as snacks for their kids when they came home from school or they took them to pot luck dinners to be shared by all. Accompanied with a glass of milk they make the perfect treat. Brownies are easy to make and best of all – these are chocolaty good. You can frost them, add nuts or other things to them, or just eat them plain. You can make them cake-like, fudge-like or chewy making brownies very versatile and able to please just about anyone in the family.

Basic Brownie with Frosting

This is the basic brownie from scratch recipe and they are moist and delicious. Add ½ to ¾ cup walnuts, pecans, or almonds if you wish or ½ cup chocolate morsels or chunks before spreading in pan for diversity.

Brownie Ingredients:

  • ½ cup butter
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1-1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • ½ cup flour
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon baking powder

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease and flour an 8 inch square pan.
  2. In a saucepan melt butter.
  3. Remove from heat and add sugar, eggs and vanilla.
  4. Mix with a wooden spoon until well combined. In a bowl combine flour, salt, and baking powder – stir to combine.
  5. Add to mixture in saucepan and mix well with wooden spoon.
  6. Spread in prepared pan. Bake 25 to 30 minutes.

Frosting Ingredients:

  • 3 tablespoons butter, room temperature
  • 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup confectioners’ sugar

Directions:

  1. In a mixing bowl combine butter, cocoa, and vanilla and beat well.
  2. Slowly add confectioners’ sugar and beat until smooth and creamy.
  3. Frost brownies while still slightly warm.

Fudgy Raspberry Brownies

Chocolate and raspberry are always a favorite and these are no exception. They are a little more intensive to make but worth every bit of the trouble.

Ingredients:

  • 6 ounces unsweetened chocolate
  • 1 cup butter
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 tablespoons vanilla
  • 1-1/2 cups flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
  • ¾ cup raspberry jam
  • ¼ cup fresh raspberries (optional only used as garnish)

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a microwave safe bowl or in a double boiler on the stove melt the unsweetened chocolate with the butter.
  2. Beat in sugar, eggs and vanilla with a wire whisk.
  3. Let cool slightly and stir in flour and baking powder with a spatula just to combine.
  4. Fold in chocolate chips.
  5. Spread ¾ of the batter into a greased and floured 13”x9”x2” pan.
  6. Carefully spread raspberry jam on top of batter with a butter knife.
  7. Drizzle remaining batter over top and then smooth out with your knife or the back of a tablespoon.
  8. Bake 20 to 25 minutes.
  9. Cool in pan before cutting.

Cappuccino Brownies

Coffee and chocolate have gone great together since forever. These brownies are cake-like and luscious like something you would get in a high end coffee shop.

Ingredients:

  • 1 – ½ tablespoon instant coffee granules
  • 2 teaspoons boiling water
  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
  • ¼ cup butter, room temperature
  • 2 eggs
  • ½ cup flour
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a small heat resistant bowl dissolve coffee in boiling water. Set aside.
  3. In a microwave safe bowl or in double boiler melt chocolate chips.
  4. In a mixing bowl cream butter and sugar together.
  5. Beat in eggs, melted chocolate chips and coffee.
  6. In a small bowl combine flour and cinnamon then slowly add to creamed mixture.
  7. Spread into a greased 8 inch square baking pan and bake 25 to 30 minutes.
  8. Cool before cutting into squares.

Don’t over cook your brownies. They will tend to look like they aren’t done when the correct time is achieved because they have a wet mix. They are supposed to look shiny and wet when they are done. Bake only for the specified time at the specified temperature or you will need a chainsaw to cut them into squares.

See more from this author at PrymeThyme On-Line or check out unusual brownies made from a mix.

The copyright of the article Basic Brownies and More in Baking & Desserts is owned by Deborah Harding. Permission to republish Basic Brownies and More in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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