Question about "the" brownie recipe (Barb's that is)

Melba's Jammin said:

NOTES : Please, keep the moaning down; it annoys the neighbors.
May want to support the bottom with
cardboard.

Barbara, I did not think you could still shock me, but after reading
this......

"Roberta" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:wDiLf.68895$bF.18533@dukeread07...

Quoted message said:

I really want to make these....

I know that she (you) use the schneakldjfklberger (something like that*G*)
chocolate. I can only find sweetened stuff locally...Is it possible to
use, perhaps bittersweet and just reduce the amount of sugar?

In case someone else would like to venture a guess...the recipe calls for
4 oz unsweetened chocolate and 2 cups of sugar.....

My other option is to use a "sub-par" baking chocolate.

What would you do?

I use Hershey's or Baker's, and they turn out pretty darn good. If they got
any better, they'd never make it out of my kitchen, and no one else in the
family would get any. Try it w/ the plain old baking chocolate and see for
yourself.

Which reminds me, I was going to have a brownie bake-off this week, and I
forgot. I was going to pit Barb's brownies against Anne Bourget's brownies
(they were the gold standard around rfc many, many moons ago) and Hershey's
Deep Dish cocoa brownies (these would lose, but the kids like them). Maybe
we'll do that this weekend!

Chris

Chris said:

I was going to pit Barb's brownies against Anne Bourget's brownies
(they were the gold standard around rfc many, many moons ago) and Hershey's
Deep Dish cocoa brownies (these would lose, but the kids like them). Maybe
we'll do that this weekend!

Chris

Thanks folks, I have been doing low carb, and now I'm missing Barb's
brownies. They are the best that I have tasted , but I would be
interested in the competition
--
Pan Ohco
I would like to see the bottom of my monitor, but I have cats.

"Pan Ohco" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Chris said:

I was going to pit Barb's brownies against Anne Bourget's brownies
(they were the gold standard around rfc many, many moons ago) and
Hershey's
Deep Dish cocoa brownies (these would lose, but the kids like them).
Maybe
we'll do that this weekend!

Chris

Thanks folks, I have been doing low carb, and now I'm missing Barb's
brownies. They are the best that I have tasted , but I would be
interested in the competition.

I made the Deep Dish ones recently because I needed to find a "tall" brownie
recipe for my daughter's birthday (she doesn't like cake, but loves
brownies...and yet a thin, flat pan of brownies looks so wimpy w/ candles in
it). I had remembered that recipe as being cakey, but discovered that with
judicious underbaking, they were moist and gooey inside, with a crackly top
crust -- very tasty and not cakey. Not as fudgey as some, but very, very
good. But the proof is in the pudding...I want to try them next to each
other. Figured that Anne's brownies (which won my early 90's brownie
bakeoff) would be fun to try again, too.

Will let you know my results -- I don't know when I'm going to try this.
Probably when I have enough tasters around so that I don't gobble up all the
brownies by myself!

Chris

I made brownies for Valentine's day that run a close secnod, sorry
Barb! Te bottom layer is basic brownie ad the top layre is a fudgey,
trfuule-y layer, like a mousse topping. I can post the recipe if
anyone's interested.

I shelled out twice as much money for Scarfen-Berger chocolate this
year and don't think they tasted any different than when I use Baker's
bittersweet or Ghiradelli bittersweet as I have in the past.

Jude said:

I made brownies for Valentine's day that run a close secnod, sorry
Barb! Te bottom layer is basic brownie ad the top layre is a fudgey,
trfuule-y layer, like a mousse topping. I can post the recipe if
anyone's interested.

I shelled out twice as much money for Scarfen-Berger chocolate this
year and don't think they tasted any different than when I use Baker's
bittersweet or Ghiradelli bittersweet as I have in the past.

First, it's good to know I don't have to hunt down "better" chocolate...

Second, is there REALLY anyone that would turn down a brownie recipe??? 🙂

Please!

Roberta (in VA)

In article <[email hidden]>,

Jude said:

I made brownies for Valentine's day that run a close secnod, sorry
Barb!

Hey, different strokes and all. ([censored]!)

Quoted message said:

Te bottom layer is basic brownie ad the top layre is a fudgey,
trfuule-y layer, like a mousse topping. I can post the recipe if
anyone's interested.

I had a recipe like that once, I think. Would you post it, please?
--
http://www.jamlady.eboard.com, updated 2-19-2006, Yummy! and church review. :-)

"Roberta" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:wDiLf.68895$bF.18533@dukeread07...

Quoted message said:

I really want to make these....

I know that she (you) use the schneakldjfklberger (something like that*G*)
chocolate. I can only find sweetened stuff locally...Is it possible to
use, perhaps bittersweet and just reduce the amount of sugar?

In case someone else would like to venture a guess...the recipe calls for
4 oz unsweetened chocolate and 2 cups of sugar.....

My other option is to use a "sub-par" baking chocolate.

What would you do?

Roberta (in VA)

Can you find another good quality chocolate? Say, Valrhona or El Rey? That
would be the best option. The sugar in brownies acts as much more than a
sweetener, so lessening the sugar may produce tasty brownies, but not the
same brownies, with the same texture. The sugar contributes to the
chewy/fudgy texture, and that's why brownies have so much! 😉

kimberly

Nexis said:

"Roberta" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:wDiLf.68895$bF.18533@dukeread07...

Quoted message said:

I really want to make these....

I know that she (you) use the schneakldjfklberger (something like that*G*)
chocolate. I can only find sweetened stuff locally...Is it possible to
use, perhaps bittersweet and just reduce the amount of sugar?

In case someone else would like to venture a guess...the recipe calls for
4 oz unsweetened chocolate and 2 cups of sugar.....

My other option is to use a "sub-par" baking chocolate.

What would you do?

Roberta (in VA)

Can you find another good quality chocolate? Say, Valrhona or El Rey? That
would be the best option. The sugar in brownies acts as much more than a
sweetener, so lessening the sugar may produce tasty brownies, but not the
same brownies, with the same texture. The sugar contributes to the
chewy/fudgy texture, and that's why brownies have so much! 😉

kimberly

Well - I have been to several of the local grocery stores (I haven't
tried TJ's yet...don't know if they sell unsweetened) and haven't found
anything but the Baker's stuff...

May just have to find an on line source...just to see how good brownies
can get! 🙂

Oh and thanks for the sugar explanation about the brownies - I am always
looking to expand my knowledge...I grew up in a house where Mac'n'Cheese
from a box was high living. I am now trying to catch up loll

Roberta (in VA)

Chris said:

"Pan Ohco" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Chris said:

I was going to pit Barb's brownies against Anne Bourget's brownies
(they were the gold standard around rfc many, many moons ago) and
Hershey's
Deep Dish cocoa brownies (these would lose, but the kids like them).
Maybe
we'll do that this weekend!

Chris

Thanks folks, I have been doing low carb, and now I'm missing Barb's
brownies. They are the best that I have tasted , but I would be
interested in the competition.

I made the Deep Dish ones recently because I needed to find a "tall" brownie
recipe for my daughter's birthday (she doesn't like cake, but loves
brownies...and yet a thin, flat pan of brownies looks so wimpy w/ candles in
it). I had remembered that recipe as being cakey, but discovered that with
judicious underbaking, they were moist and gooey inside, with a crackly top
crust -- very tasty and not cakey. Not as fudgey as some, but very, very
good. But the proof is in the pudding...I want to try them next to each
other. Figured that Anne's brownies (which won my early 90's brownie
bakeoff) would be fun to try again, too.

Will let you know my results -- I don't know when I'm going to try this.
Probably when I have enough tasters around so that I don't gobble up all the
brownies by myself!

Chris

Here's my brownie recipe. They are definitely fudgy rather than cakey;
They rise during baking, but then fall as they cool because there is
so much butter and sugar for the little bit of flour. If I wanted them
taller, I would make a triple recipe and bake in a 9x13" pan, but I
would do a test batch first to see how long they'd need to cook. I
usually make a triple batch and bake in a 4 litre (10x14"?) pyrex
lasagna pan. HTH :-)

Bob's Brownies
(adapted from recipe in Better Homes & Gardens Cookbook)

1/3 C cocoa
1/2 C flour
1 C sugar
1/2 C salted butter or margarine
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 C chopped nuts

Peheat oven to 325°. Sift dry ingredients into mixing bowl. Add
remaining ingredients and beat well. Bake in greased 8x8x2" pan for 35
minutes.

Original recipe called for 2 squares unsweet baking chocolate and (I
think) 1/3 C butter instead of 1/2 C.

This recipe triples well, baked in a 4 quart lasagna pan, or doubles in
a 9x13" pan.

In article <[email hidden]>,

Melba's Jammin said:

In article <wDiLf.68895$bF.18533@dukeread07>,

Roberta said:

I really want to make these....

I know that she (you) use the schneakldjfklberger (something like
that*G*) chocolate. I can only find sweetened stuff locally...Is it
possible to use, perhaps bittersweet and just reduce the amount of sugar?

In case someone else would like to venture a guess...the recipe calls
for 4 oz unsweetened chocolate and 2 cups of sugar.....

My other option is to use a "sub-par" baking chocolate.

What would you do?

Roberta (in VA)

No---o-o--o-o-o, I use Hershey's unsweetened chocolate from the
supermarket. And have won three blue ribbons at my State Fair doing
so. Have never used Scharffenberger unless Margaret gave me some once
long ago. I don't think so.

Barb, I am surprised! I thought you used Ghirardelli unsweetened (which
comes in a very convenient 4 oz bar, unlike the Scharffen Berger, which is
a 100 g (3 oz) bar).

I always use the Ghirardelli and everybody loves them 😉. I might use
Scharffen Berger bittersweet (and cut the sugar) if I felt like it, but
the Ghirardelli makes a mighty fine brownie!

Charlotte
--

In article <[email hidden]>,

(Charlotte L. Blackmer) said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

Melba's Jammin said:

In article <wDiLf.68895$bF.18533@dukeread07>,

Roberta said:

I really want to make these....

I know that she (you) use the schneakldjfklberger (something like
that*G*) chocolate. I can only find sweetened stuff locally...Is it
possible to use, perhaps bittersweet and just reduce the amount of sugar?

In case someone else would like to venture a guess...the recipe calls
for 4 oz unsweetened chocolate and 2 cups of sugar.....

My other option is to use a "sub-par" baking chocolate.

What would you do?

Roberta (in VA)

No---o-o--o-o-o, I use Hershey's unsweetened chocolate from the
supermarket. And have won three blue ribbons at my State Fair doing
so. Have never used Scharffenberger unless Margaret gave me some once
long ago. I don't think so.

Barb, I am surprised! I thought you used Ghirardelli unsweetened (which
comes in a very convenient 4 oz bar, unlike the Scharffen Berger, which is
a 100 g (3 oz) bar).

I always use the Ghirardelli and everybody loves them 😉. I might use
Scharffen Berger bittersweet (and cut the sugar) if I felt like it, but
the Ghirardelli makes a mighty fine brownie!

Charlotte
--

The only time I *might* ever have used a Ghirardelli bar would have been
if someone had given one to me. What I -have- used is the Guittard Oban
wafers from Bakers C & C in Salt Lake City:
http://www.bakerscandc.com/index.php?page=002&cat=006
Their order form is kind of tricky and I've always ordered by phone
besides. Nice people. $15.75 for 5#, plus shipping.
--
http://www.jamlady.eboard.com, updated 2-19-2006, Yummy! and church review. :-)