In need of a brownie recipe

[jcattles]

DH is craving brownies. Let's just say mine leave alot to be disired. Oh and if they're for high altitude, even better. (I live 7200 ft above sea level) Thanks!

[BetteHepburn]

You have many excellent recipes here. I'd like to just add my sister's toppers - I call them
Chrissy Brownies. When the brownies are hot from the oven cover them with chocolate.
May be iin many forms - semi-sweet chocolate chips are the easiest. When cool frost them.
Sounds like way too much chocolate huh? Not so; they are delicious. She cuts them into
small squares and freezes them. Throwing some fresh raspberries isn't bad either.

[BetteHepburn]

Well, perhaps posting late at night isn't such a good idea after all. Obviously throwing
fresh raspberries would be wasteful and just plain silly. Putting them on the brownies
would be yummy. Good night!

[joannabar]

I love Nick Malgieri's supernatural brownies, but he has a new one in The Modern Baker that is even better. He uses cocoa nibs and the brownies are terrific.
He came to Kings Supermarket in Short Hills, NJ to give a demonstration class. This was one of the recipes from the book so I can vouch for its chocolate effectiveness.

[buttertart]

Nick Malgieri's Supernatural Brownies - and don't skip the resting step. By far the best I've tried.
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/11/din...

[petitgateau]

Ina Garten's outrageous brownies are the best I've ever had.

[somervilleoldtimer]

I tried a million recipes, but what I do now is: Buy 2 boxes of Ghirardelli Double Chocolate Brownie mix, make the batter and add lots of vanilla, bake in a 13 X 9 pan, making sure I don't overbake. Compliments every time!

[applerochez]

i've made every brownie recipe under the sun--including ina's. for me (we like gooey brownies), the one that wins every time is the betty crocker dark chocolate brownie mix, to which i add a tsp or two of instant espresso (a tip i learned from ina) and a half cup of dark semi sweet, higher quality chocolate chips. i've seen people pass out after one bite!

for an old-school vibe, i'll sometimes swirl york peppermint patties on top when the brownies are hot (learned this one from my mom). sometimes i'll add chili powder for a little kick.

[sweet ginger]

My favorite recipes have been Ina's Outrageous Brownies and CI's triple chocolate brownies (let me know if you're interested in the CI recipe- I've had it awhile and don't know if it's online). I recently tried Bouchon's recipe after having their brownies at ad hoc in Yountville. They're not too sweet, super dark, and really moist- and just as easy as a regular brownie recipe.

http://canitasteitnow.blogspot.com/20...

Chocolatechipkt- I will certainly be trying out your awesome looking recipes next!

[Brad2]

Can't help you with the recipe but if you like the brownie edges, google "edge brownie pan". I bought one about a year ago and it gives you multiple edges on every brownie. My favorite part.

[beanie1]

The "Baked Brownies" from tne new "Baked" cookbook (http://www.amazon.com/dp/1584797215/?...
)are truly amazing. Deep, dark, fudgy.

I think they are the best I've ever made, knocking Ina Garten's Outrageous Brownies out of their long-standing top spot. Based on feedback from everyone in my office who tried them, it was unanimous.

[jcattles]

A big thanks you to everyone. I ended up making Ina's recipe. They were so good. Just calling for a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top. I like a cakier (is that a word? lol), but these were relly good. I might try adding more flour next time to firm it up. I got a definite do again from the family!

[BeefeaterRocks]

I use the recipe on the back of Hershey's Cocoa. I use special dark cocoa instead of regular, reduce the sugar by 1/2 cup and bake approx. 25 minutes. MR.BR is addicted.

[jo_mama]

This is one of my favorite brownie recipes: http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/...

Also, my favorite new tweak to brownies is to add approx one tablespoon of cardamom to the batter and finish the brownies (after baking) with chopped pistachios.

[cleopatra999]

I like really fudgy brownies, no cake here please.

these are fantastic...

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/foo...

[chowser]

That looks really interesting. I wonder if I can use regular sugar instead of the agave nectar. I'm guessing it would change the consistency, though, and I'd have to play w/ the liquids.

[goodhealthgourmet]

chowser, if you want to use sugar instead of agave, for that articular recipe:

- increase the total liquid in the recipe by 1/3
- use 1-3/4 cups plus 2 Tablespoons of sugar [agave is about 25% sweeter than sugar so you need to use 25% more]
- increase oven temp to 350 and check after 25-30 minutes.

[chowser]

What type of brownies does your husband like? Fudgey, cakey, thick, thin? If he likes thick fudgey brownies, I like Mancatcher brownies:

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/370281

If he likes chewier ones, the supernatural brownies are great:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/11/dining/111brex.html?_r=1&em&ex=1177128000&en=071c50593250483b&ei=5070&oref=slogin

For more adult taste, strong bittersweet brownies, chow's brownies are perfect:

http://www.chow.com/recipes/10451

For those, instead of a teaspoon brewed espresso (which doesn't seem to add much), I use a tsp finely ground espresso powder.

[gordeaux]

a sneaky good trick:
Buy your favorite brand of box brownie mix.
make the batter as directed.
note the consistency of the batter.
add 1/2 cup of cocoa powder. - the real stuff - no sugar.
Add 1/4 cup of chocolate syrup and mix it in. add more syrup as needed to get back to consistency of the original batter.
Bake them off.
These are pretty good for the ease of making.
I gave this to my Mom, and "her" brownies are legendary throughout the town. And this ain't no small town.

[Antilope]

I think that Ghirardelli Award Winning Brownies are one of the best:

Ghirardelli Award Winning Brownies
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.fo...

The recipe is also on their cocoa can.

[paprkutr]

Don't laugh Trader Joe's truffle brownie mix with choc chips is great. I add more chips and everyone loves it. I also love Ina's but it has about three pounds of chocolate in it.

[coll]

This is my brownie recipe right now, Trader Joes Truffle Brownie Mix with a spoonful of Kahlua and instant espresso powder added in.

[Querencia]

I have abandoned all my scratch brownie recipes for Trader Joe's Truffle Brownie Mix, which lily I gild with the following FUDGE GLAZE---In a saucepan put 1 cup sugar, 1/3 cup milk, 1/3 cup butter. Bring to boil and boil for 1 minute by the clock, while stirring. Remove from burner. Dump in 1 cup chocolate chips. Stir until they melt. Pour over the brownies after you take them out of the oven. The fudgey stuff will set up as everything cools. Also I add nuts to the brownie mix.

[jencounter]

Agreed! That box mix makes some of the best brownies I've ever had. Course, anything with a stick of butter *has* to be good, right?

(Here's hoping they don't decide to discontinue these)

[jill kibler]

I use this recipe. I have doubled it with no peoblem, as well. The only modification I use is that I put all of the milk chocolate and the butter into a heat proof bowl and set it in the oven as it preheates. It melt in about 5 minutes and then I proceed as directed.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/foo...

peace, jill

[ErikaZ]

Make the one-bowl brownies on the Baker's baking chocolate box. I make it with 6 bittersweet and 2 unsweetened squares, and add chocolate chips to the batter. I like frosting on brownies so I usually melt chocolate chips on top when they are just out of the oven. They melt. Just smooth them.

[coll]

I second Bakers recipe, subbing a fancier chocolate. Probably because that's the recipe my Mom used, but that's my favorite.

[valerie]

Another vote for Baker's one-bowl brownies.

[cheesecake17]

Ina Garten aka Barefoot Contessa has the BEST recipe for brownies. One recipe makes an entire cookie sheet of brownies, so I usually split the recipe. I've added things to it- walnuts, dried cranberries, white chocolate chips, crushed Heath bars- and it always comes out delicious. Just Google the recipe.

[Chocolatechipkt]

I make a half-recipe of the BC brownies too.

[Funwithfood]

Yes!

I double the recipe and freeze the rest. Cut in 1/2" squares, as they are very rich!

[cheesecake17]

I was thinking to cut the brownies into big squares (3" maybe)- like the kind you get from a deli or bakery. Is three or four too many to give to one person?

[Funwithfood]

They are so rich, I've served them in tiny 1/3" bites, which was nice. If you cut them too large, people might not finish them (a tragic waste!). Better to keep them coming back for seconds!

[cheesecake17]

I thought a few large squares would look pretty in a cellophane bag as a gift. I wasn't planning on putting them out in the office kitchen... wouldn't waste such expensive ingredients on just everyone!

[goodhealthgourmet]

those cellophane bags come in all different sizes. use the narrower tall ones, cut the brownies into little bites, and stack more pieces [anywhere from 6-10 depending on thickness] into each bag.

[cheesecake17]

Thanks, I'll try that. I'm probably giving brownies to about 20 people.. do you think I should make two recipes or three?

[goodhealthgourmet]

hmmm...well, i've never made Ina's recipe, but i guess it really depends how small you cut them. the recipe clams to make "20 large" brownies, which, by my calculations, would be sightly larger than 2"x 2" each, assuming you use the suggested 13 x 8 pan. so if you cut them into 1-inch squares instead, you'll get 40 pieces out of each batch. 3 batches would yield 120 pieces, which works out to a half-dozen per bag for 20 people, and each additional batch will give you another 2 pieces per bag [e.g. 4 batches would give you 8 per bag].

so i'd suggest 3 or 4 batches, to yield 6-8 1-inch squares per bag.

hope that helps!

[geminigirl]

agree, these are great, and they last quite a while in the refrigerator...

[MrsT]

I was actually going to make that yesterday, but my local store ran out of unsweetened chocolate. I'll probably be making them tonight. They're on the Food Network's website.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/in...

[Chocolatechipkt]

Hey there, I'm not sure what type of brownies you're looking for, but I've posted a bunch of recipes that I've tried (and liked) on my blog. Hope this helps. :)

http://areyouhungryyet.blogspot.com/s...

[firecooked]

What a great blog... have added to my google reader list... yum!

Here is one more recipe. I've made so many times I almost have it memorized:
http://blog.firecooked.com/2008/02/04...

[Chocolatechipkt]

Thanks!

Off to check out your blog now ... :)

[chowser]

I think I gained about 5 pounds just reading your blog. Those all look so wonderfully decadent. Thanks!

[midtownDiner123]

how did the fine cooking ones work out for you? i prefer a fudgy brownie.

and slightly off-topic - how did you like the ci macaroons?

great round-up. off to browse your archives!

[Chocolatechipkt]

The CI macaroons are great! They've even converted non-macaroon people, as they're not overly sweet, the way some can be. They are a pain to make (tons of little pyramids), but that'd be the case with any macaroon, I think. :)