Recipe: Fudge Brownies with Variations

Fudge Brownies
rec.crafts.textiles.quilting/Jane Leffler (2000)

This is really a great, simple, basic brownie recipe. I have added mint-chocolate chips, raspberry chips and other flavorings to experiment.

1/2 cup butter or margarine
(2) 1-oz. squares unsweetened chocolate (NOT semi-sweet; this is the absolutely UNsweetened, inedible-as-it-is baking chocolate)
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla*
3/4 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 cup chopped walnuts*

In medium saucepan melt butter and chocolate over low heat. Watch fairly carefully as it can scorch. Remove from heat; stir in sugar.

Blend in eggs one at a time. Add vanilla. Stir in flour and nuts; mix well. Spread in greased 8 x 8 baking pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. >>Be careful not to overcook.<<

Now, I ALWAYS double this recipe and bake it in a 13 x 9 pan at the same time and temp. (we have three teenage boys to compete with for brownies, after all!).

*I sometimes substitute 1 tsp. of another flavoring. My FAVORITE is adding orange extract instead of vanilla. Makes delicious orange-chocolate brownies!

If I use vanilla extract, I will add a bag of peanut butter chips (like chocolate chips, only peanut butter. Can you get those in New Zealand?) either in place of, or in addition to the chopped nuts (for a single recipe, add half a bag). Have you ever had a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup? If so, enough said!

----
I am almost 77 yrs old and this was my Mom's recipe. Almost identical to Jane Leffler's. The only difference is 1/3 cup margerine and baking time was 20 minutes @ 375 degrees. Yumm--nice and fudgy. Probably taste identical. - Audrey in Ma

----
This recipe is very similar to my MIL's recipe. I stir in 1 cup of mini marshmallows just before baking. It makes the brownies really moist and chewy. - Susan in Kingston ON