by Stefan Lonce
Do you hate doing dishes as much as I do? Do you consider it a major project if you need to take your mixer out in order to bake something? Do you love CHOCOLATE? If you answered yes to the preceding questions, then we have some things in common…and these are the brownies for you! No mixer needed, and dishes consist of a bowl, measuring cups and spoons, a whisk and a rubber spatula. And, one of the best things, ingredients most people already have at home.
When I first ran across this recipe…before I made my changes to it, increasing this, adding that, etc….it said it made 16 brownies. Well, I just couldn’t see it. Those brownies seemed very small. So my recipe, although baked in the same size pan, only makes 9 brownies. You do as you like…but 16? Really? From an 8”x8” pan? I kind of thought that 9 was a little chintzy…LOL.
FUDGY ONE-BOWL BROWNIES
INGREDIENTS:
- ½ tablespoon softened butter (to grease baking pan)
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and HOT
- 1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
- ½ cup brown sugar (dark or light)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup “Add Ins” such as Chopped Nuts, Raisins, Dried Cranberries, Chocolate Chips, Peanut Butter Chips, Coconut, etc. (OPTIONAL)
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Lightly grease an 8”x8” baking pan with ½ tablespoon softened butter. (I keep left-over butter wrappers to use to grease baking pans)
- Combine HOT melted butter, sugars and oil in a medium-sized bowl. (I use a microwave safe bowl and melt the butter right in it…Save a dish!)Whisk together well for about a minute. Add the eggs and vanilla and whisk together until light in color. (About another minute or so)
- Sift in the flour, cocoa powder and salt. (Don’t forget the salt! It will help balance the sweetness and enhance the chocolate flavor.) Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet with a rubber spatula just until combined. (Do not over mix the batter) This is also the time to fold in whatever “add ins” you may be using. (I happened to have had a little flaked coconut leftover in my cabinet.)
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top out as evenly as possible.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the center of the brownies in the pan no longer jiggles and is just set to the touch. If you prefer a “cakier” brownie, leave them in 2 or 3 more minutes (The brownies will keep baking in the hot pan after they come out of the oven.
- Remove and allow to cool to room temperature before slicing into 9 brownies. ENJOY!