Chocolate… just thinking about it sends me into a state of absolute bliss. I am absolutely convinced that almost any problem can be solved with chocolate.
Say you are heartbroken, eating a ton of chocolate while crying on your best friends shoulder is sure to cure your heart in no time. Or you need a pick me up after a long and gruesome day at work (or even more realistic, after dealing with your children and all the tantrums they can hand out in one day), nothing feels better than sitting down to a quiet house, and indulging in that delicious sweet! Just imagine all the utter nonsense our ears would not have to endure if more people ate chocolate instead of sharing their two-cents worth?
Ok, so I am not so naïve that I really think any problem can be magically solved with chocolate, but chocolate can do a lot of good and sure makes the ride a whole lot better!
When I sit down to read, I love to enjoy a chocolaty snack every now and then. Obviously not daily, because I have not been blessed with the metabolism of my lucky husband, who can eat a whole tub of Ben& Jerry’s and miraculously lose weight in the process. I suspect the fat and calories he eats somehow end up being airborne and injected into my system, permanently taking residence on my hips. Anyways, I am getting side-tracked. Chocolate has this amazingly comforting quality, that seems to accompany a great book perfectly.
As I love the sweet goodness so much, I have over the years collected many great recipes. When asked to bring a dessert, most of my friends request brownies. It is almost becoming a stereotype: Mylissa’s brownies. It’s as if they might think me incapable of making anything else.
When talking to my husband about this (read Me whining about why once again I was asked to make brownies, Are they so convinced I can’t make anything else), he simply looked at me and said: You make the best brownies, that’s why. Anyone who knows my husband, knows this is a huge compliment, I remember him telling me about 3 years ago in all honesty: ”Yes I think you finally got it right.” Referring to the brownies. Taking into account I had been making them for 10 years at the time, I had the instant urge to hit him on the head in true Gibbs-NCIS style. Yes, I can get a little protective of my kitchen skills 🙂
Anyways, thinking about how chocolate adds such pleasure to my reading experience, I decided to share my very special, treasured recipe with all my fellow book friends. I hope you give it a try and let me know what you think. I love this recipe because it is the easiest, best I have ever come across, and I happen to almost always have all the ingredients in the house.
Recipe
250 gr butter, softened to room temperature
2,5 cups sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
5 eggs
1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
Add all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
Mix all together until everything is nicely mixed (2-3 min).
Transfer batter (this batter is not runny, but pretty solid) into a buttered and floured baking tin/dish.
Bake in a pre-heated oven on 180°C for 35-40 min, or till skewer comes out a little icky.
The secret to perfectly fudge brownies, is not to overbake them. You need to remove them from the oven before they are baked through like a cake. It is better to under bake them too much, then to overbake them.
Once out of the oven, you can go two ways. Leave it to cool without covering it, and you will get a crunchy crust on the top. Some people like this, as it adds some texture to the brownies. If not, you cover up the brownies with tin foil (loosely) until they are cooled. Be sure to wipe of the steam from the foil, before covering it up to store.
Enjoy!
those brownies are seriously the best ever!
That looks amazing! I’ve got to add it to my list of recipes to try.