Two Ways to Make Brownies (because you can never have enough brownies)

Both of these come from the ye olde family recipe book, because we don’t change what works, so a number of our recipes are from gran and her mom and so on and so forth. Brownies are something that are very handy for when you’re having people over because everyone loves brownies, and they’re pretty easy to make. Plus, if you’re in a place where there’ll be trick or treaters for Halloween, brownies help keep them going during their looting, and you can save the mini-sweets for yourself (mmm, tiny smarties!) The second recipe is slightly easier, but the first recipe is a little bit more classic, and actually has chocolate in it, which you can’t go wrong with.  Best-ever BrowniesServings: 16 browniesPreparation time: 15 minutes. Cooking time: 30 minutes. Oven temperature: 180cIngredients:50g of Unsweetened chocolate (Dark, generally)½ cup of butter2 eggs1 cup of sugar1 tsp of vanilla extract½ cup Sifted flourPinch of salt¾ cup of chopped walnut (or pecans or similar) 120g of semisweet chocolate (milk)½ cup of sour creamA wee bit of Cooking oilProTip: If you buy the nuts whole/halved, leave them in the bag and just bash them with a rolling pin instead of chopping them, you get the same effect for much less effort.Equipment:PotMedium Mixing bowl *2WhiskWooden spoonBaking tray (8” by 8” by 2”, if you can’t get one this exact size, its not the end of the world, just make sure its medium sized)Knife Method:

1. Turn the oven on to preheat it and grease the pan by pouring a little bit of cooking oil in it, spreading it around with some kitchen paper until the entire inside of the pan is coated.
2. Melt the unsweetened chocolate and the butter together in the pan on the stove over a low heat.
3. Beat the eggs in one of the mixing bowls.
4. Gradually beat in the sugar until the mixture is fluffy and thick.
5. Stir in the chocolate and butter mixture and the vanilla extract carefully so you don’t knock the air out of the eggs.
6. Fold (Really Carefully stir) in the sifted flour and the salt gradually until it’s all in and well blended.
7. Stir in the chopped walnuts.
8. Spread the mixture evenly in the greased pan and bake at 180 degrees Celsius for half an hour, or until the top of the brownies are shiny and firm to touch.
9. Let them cool in the pan on a wire rack if you have one.

Right, now for the icing, and a fun thing called a double boil.

1. Put about half a cup of water in a pot.
2. Put the pot on a ring at a medium heat and sit the other mixing bowl into the top of it.
3. Melt the semisweet chocolate in the bowl. Be careful, there may be steam and it will be quite hot.
4. Take the whole thing off the heat and add the sour cream to the bowl, stirring it in until its well-blended.
5. Spread the frosting on the cooled brownies and cut them into 2-inch squares.

 Fantastic Fudge BrowniesServings: Lots and yet not enoughPreparation Time: 15 minutes. Cooking Time: 40-45 minutes. Oven temperature: 180cIngredients:1 cup of butter4 Heaped Tablespoons of Cocoa2 cups of sugar4 eggs Beaten1 teaspoon of vanilla extract1 cup flour1 cup chopped walnutsIcing ingredients:2 cups Icing Sugar2 tablespoons Cocoa2 Teaspoons Vanilla extract2 tablespoons butter2 tablespoons boiling waterEquipment: Wooden spoonMedium mixing bowlBaking tray (9” x 13” or a similarly large one)Method:

1. Turn the oven on to preheat it and grease the pan like the other recipe.
2. Cream together the Butter, Sugar and Cocoa (beat it until well mixed and soft.)
3. Add in the beaten eggs and the vanilla, and stir until well combined.
4. Add the flour in small amounts, stirring each time.
5. Fold in the chopped walnuts (or whatever nuts you used.)
6. Pour it into the greased baking tray an put it in the preheated oven for 40 minutes.
7. Make the icing while the brownies are in the oven by beating all of the ingredients for the icing together.
8. Check the brownies after 40 minutes. They may look undercooked on top, and fall slightly in the middle, but that’s how they’re supposed to be, trust me.
9. Take them out of the oven and pour the frosting on them immediately so it melts to form a shiny glaze on top.
10. Let them to cool in the pan. Cut up and serve

If you’re interested in passing on cooking tips, shopping recommendations or full recipes so your fellow students don’t have to eat pasta 5 days a week (or to at least make the pasta tastier), throw me an email at food@uccexpress.ie.