Brownie Bake-off: Saucepan Brownies Circa 1959
Every few summers I get a bee in my bonnet, determined to master a summertime recipe. One year it was fried chicken.
After watching my husband spend an entire party slaving over the grill, I decided to try my hand at that picnic classic, fried chicken. I envisioned doing the frying in the morning, freeing us to spend the entire evening focused on our guests.
What a fiasco! After three separate attempts yielded inedible chicken, burned on the outside, raw on the inside, I gave up. My husband went back to the grill.
This year I'm planning a brownie bake-off. Over the last few weeks, my 10-year-old daughter has begged me to make brownies, so I'm thinking of engaging her in my exploits. At this age she still doesn't have all that many kitchen skills, but she does know how to make chocolate chip cookies on her own, so I think brownies should be a piece of cake.
This first brownie recipe we tried came from my mother's recipe box: Saucepan Brownies, attributed to Ladies Home Journal, October 1959. It's hard to argue with the simplicity of this recipe. I had all the ingredients on hand; none are particularly expensive. This version is quick and easy, all prepared, as the name implies, in a single saucepan.
When I think of brownies, these are exactly what come to mind. But a little experimentation never hurts. I'll be testing lots more brownie recipes this summer. If you have a favorite, let me know, and I'll give it a try.
Saucepan Brownies
Ingredients:
1/3 cup butter
2 squares unsweetened chocolate
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Directions:
1. Place butter and chocolate in a saucepan and melt together over a low heat, stirring frequently.
2. Remove from heat and stir in, in this order: sugar, eggs, vanilla, flour, salt and pecans.
3. Pour batter into a greased 8 inch x 8 inch x 2 inch baking pan and bake in a moderately hot oven, 375 degrees F, for 25 to 30 minutes or until brownies are firm and begin to pull away from the sides of the pan.
4. Cut into 2 inch squares.
Makes 16 brownies.
--Tracy Schneider
tomboy0403 on June 07, 2009 at 09:57 PM
very good.
Mary on June 07, 2009 at 11:50 PM
This recipe was my grandmother's or or my great granmother's. It is similar to the one you used and I think you will like it.
Maggie's Fudge Brownies
1 Cup Unsalted Butter
14 Tablespoons Cocoa
2 Cups Sugar
4 Beaten Eggs
1 teaspoon Vanilla
½ cup Chopped Walnuts
1 ¼ All Purpose Flour
½ Teaspoon Salt
In a large sauce pan melt the butter at medium low heat then add the cocoa blend well. Add the sugar keep stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat. Blend in the well beaten eggs followed by the vanilla. Sift in dry ingredients and blend well. Add walnuts.
Turn into a buttered 13 x 9 x 2 baking pan.
Bake at 400 for 18 minutes.
Frosting
3 tablespoons butter or shortening
2 tablespoons cocoa
½ teaspoon vanilla or to taste
2 tablespoons milk
11/3 cups powdered sugar
Cream butter, cocoa and vanilla. Then blend in vanilla and milk. Mix in powdered sugar.
This is the real secret, frost these brownies as soon as you take them out of the oven and then cut the brownies. Let cool before eating or serve with ice cream.
These brownies are crumbly and moist. They are not pretty but all the crumbs seem to disappear very quickly.
Tracy Schneider on June 08, 2009 at 07:19 AM
Mary, your family's brownie recipe looks delicious. Thanks so much for sharing it! I've never made brownies with cocoa powder so I can' wait to try them.
Mary on June 08, 2009 at 07:56 AM
Tracy, my mother alway had us measure 14 tablespoons but that is 1 cup and then remove 2 tablespoons. I spill less cocoa when only 2 tablespoons are measured!
b on June 17, 2009 at 10:43 PM
Mary,
This is similar to the best cocoa brownies (nov. 2003) on epicurious.com, we have enjoyed it, cheap easy and the kids can make it. We put sprinkles on top, and it adds a great crunch to the top part. The brownies are rich, and we have not used frosting, but perhaps next time.
b on June 18, 2009 at 12:10 AM
Perhaps, if I can recommend a brownie recipe to try? There have been black bean brownies (101 cookbooks has one), can you try that or another "healthy" brownie. I would be interested in results.
Tracy Schneider on June 22, 2009 at 03:48 PM
Mary, I loved your family recipe for Maggie's Fudge Brownies and wrote a post all about it. Thanks for sharing it with us all. http://www.aldenteblog.com/2009/06/brownie-bakeoff-maggies-fudge-brownies.html
Tracy Schneider on June 22, 2009 at 03:50 PM
B, I'm going to give those black bean brownies a try. Stay tuned!
Tracy Schneider on September 10, 2009 at 11:28 AM
B, I made those black bean brownies! Thanks for your recommendation. They're great for anyone who is dairy-sensitive or gluten-intolerant. And because they're made with agave nectar, even people with sugar problems may be able to work them into their diet. Check it out at: http://www.aldenteblog.com/2009/09/brownie-bakeoff-black-bean.html.
saucepan on September 17, 2009 at 03:08 AM
well
I will try
Saucepan on September 23, 2009 at 12:12 AM
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Thanks ...