Alice Pikes Famous Brownies Recipes

BEST COCOA BROWNIES

Steps:

• Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 325°F. Line the bottom and sides of the baking pan with parchment paper or foil, leaving an overhang on two opposite sides.
• Combine the butter, sugar, cocoa, and salt in a medium heatproof bowl and set the bowl in a wide skillet of barely simmering water. Stir from time to time until the butter is melted and the mixture is smooth and hot enough that you want to remove your finger fairly quickly after dipping it in to test. Remove the bowl from the skillet and set aside briefly until the mixture is only warm, not hot.
• Stir in the vanilla with a wooden spoon. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring vigorously after each one. When the batter looks thick, shiny, and well blended, add the flour and stir until you cannot see it any longer, then beat vigorously for 40 strokes with the wooden spoon or a rubber spatula. Stir in the nuts, if using. Spread evenly in the lined pan.
• Bake until a toothpick plunged into the center emerges slightly moist with batter, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool completely on a rack.
• Lift up the ends of the parchment or foil liner, and transfer the brownies to a cutting board. Cut into 16 or 25 squares.

NEW CLASSIC BROWNIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line an 8-inch-square metal baking pan with foil. In top of a double boiler set over barely simmering water, or on low power in a microwave, melt butter and chocolate together. Stir often, and remove from heat when a few lumps remain. Stir until smooth.
• Stir in sugar, vanilla and salt. Stir in eggs one at a time, followed by flour. Stir until very smooth, about 1 minute, until mixture pulls away from sides of bowl. Add nuts, if using. Scrape batter into prepared pan and bake 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, prepare a water bath: Pour ice water into a large roasting pan or kitchen sink to a depth of about 1 inch. Remove pan from oven and place in water bath, being careful not to splash water on brownies. Let cool completely, then lift out and cut into 1-inch squares or wrap in foil.

KATHY FAULDING'S FAMOUS BROWNIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Melt butter, sugar, and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Remove the saucepan from the heat once the sugar has dissolved and add the vanilla extract and chocolate chips, reserving some of the chips for later. Begin adding the eggs 1 at a time. Blend in the flour, baking soda, and salt. Pour the mixture into a greased and foil lined 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle the mixture with the remaining chocolate chips and bake for 20 to 30 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and let the brownies rest 5 to 10 minutes before slicing into squares. Enjoy with a cold glass of milk!

ALICE PIKE'S FAMOUS BROWNIES

Steps:

• For Brownies: In mixing bowl or food processor blend well, butter, sugar, cocoa, eggs and vanilla.
• Combine flour, baking powder and salt.
• Add to cocoa mix.
• Bake in greased 8x8 square pan for 20-25 min at 350.
• Make them gooey-moist by taking them out just after the middle has puffed up or risen (which is the only way!) Leaving them in longer will give you a cake-like brownie.
• Meanwhile make icing.
• Allow to cool before icing or you can dust with icing sugar (shaken through a sieve).
• They are even good naked.
• For Chocolate Butter Icing: Cream butter with cocoa and 2 cups of icing sugar.
• Beat in 2 tsp vanilla, 2 TBSP milk and 1 cup of icing sugar.
• If needed, gradually add 1-2 TBSP milk until desired spreading consistency.
• Makes enough icing for 2 batches of brownies.
• Will keep in the fridge for a week.

FUDGY BROWNIES

Steps:

• Get prepared
• Arrange the oven racks so one is in the center position. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
• Spray the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Cut a piece of parchment paper 8 inches wide and 15 to 16 inches long. Lay the paper in the pan so it travels up and over two of the sides. Spray the paper with nonstick cooking spray.
• Make the batter
• Pour 1 to 2 inches of water into the bottom of a small saucepan and choose a bowl that fits over the saucepan to make a double boiler. Make sure the water is not touching the bottom of the bowl; if it is, pour some water out. Bring the water to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low to maintain a gentle simmer.
• Unless you are using chocolate chips, roughly chop the chocolate. Put the butter and chocolate into the bowl of the double boiler and melt them, using a heat-proof rubber spatula to stir and scrape down the sides of the bowl so the chocolate doesn't burn.
• Remove the bowl from the double boiler and wipe the bottom of the bowl so no water drips. Add the sugar, vanilla, and salt and whisk them in. Add the eggs one at a time and whisk until the batter is shiny and smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the flour and stir with a rubber spatula until no flour is visible.
• Bake the brownies
• Using a rubber spatula, transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Use the spatula to smooth out the top of the batter.
• Place the brownies on the center rack of the oven and bake for 20 minutes, rotating the pan from front to back halfway through the baking. Remove the brownies from the oven and cool on a cooling rack. The tops will appear dry, but the insides will remain fudgy if you poke the center with a toothpick or cake tester. Holding the sides of the parchment paper, lift the brownies out of the pan and place them on a cutting board. Using a large knife, cut the brownies into 16 equal pieces.
• Store the brownies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months.

JACKIE'S FAMOUS PARVE BROWNIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 180°C.
• Stir in one ingredient at a time. Sounds silly, but it is very important!
• Bake for 40 minutes.

WORLD FAMOUS BROWNIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Line an 8-inch square pan with aluminum foil.
• Place bittersweet chocolate, unsweetened chocolate and butter in a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 2-3 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds (don't skip this step or the chocolate will scorch!) until mixture is melted. Cool to lukewarm (don't skip this step either or the eggs will curdle!).
• Once mixture is cooled, stir in the sugar, pinch of salt, and vanilla until combined.
• Beat in the eggs by hand, one at a time.
• Add the flour and stir energetically for 3-5 minutes until the batter is thick, smooth, and 'dry'. It will look curdled at first and may have some separated liquid, but if you stir it thoroughly it will reach the correct consistency. (This step is the most important to ensure the brownies have the perfect consistency!).
• Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake until the center feels almost set (with a few dry crumbs when tested), about 20-30 minutes. Do not overbake!
• Let the brownies cool completely in the pan before serving. (Note: These brownies will 'mature' and improve in flavor and texture the following day or two after baking. Don't eat them all the first day and you will see what I mean!).
• These brownies can be stored, tightly covered with aluminum foil, at room temperature for up to a week.
• Enjoy!