Mrs. Freeman's Brownies

*not my image

Mrs. Freeman's Brownies
When my mother was 16, she lived in a neighbourhood called Somervale Gardens in Point-Claire, Quebec. Down the street from her lived a lady named Mrs. Freeman, who was from Alabama and had a delightful southern accent. 

I never met Mrs. Freeman, but I sure wish I could. I'd like to tell her that her brownie recipe is the best in the world. She should know that her recipe is the standard to which I hold and have always held all other brownies I've encountered, and that not one has ever even come close. You simply cannot get or make a better brownie than these brownies, guaranteed. 

Now, I should say that because of Mrs. Freeman's brownies, I don't care for "wet" brownies at all. I like my brownies to have the consistency of dense chocolate cake, rather than having a fudgey texture. If you like "wet" or fudgey brownies, this might not be for you. It's ok. You're just wrong... try the recipe and maybe you'll come around ;). 

There's an awesome variation* below the main recipe, too... if you like chocolate and marshmallows, it's for you! 

Preheat oven to 350F.

2/3 C flour
1 C sugar
2 eggs
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/3 C butter
1 tsp vanilla
2 squares bitter chocolate, melted (I use Baker's, in the blue box). It's very important to use bitter chocolate... don't use semi-sweet or milk; the brownies' flavour depends on the strong bitter chocolate. 

In a small saucepan, melt the butter and chocolate together. 

Beat eggs, then mix well with sugar. Add chocolate while beating. Beat well. 

Combine flour, baking powder, salt. 

Add dry ingredients to chocolate mixture. Stir in vanilla. 

Pour batter into 8x8x2 pan lined with foil. Bake for 25 minutes* or until a tester comes out clean.

Pull the foil and brownies out of the pan and cool on wire rack. You will ice them, but be sure they're fully cool first. I use chocolate buttercream icing (one of the variations listed here).

*Chocolate Marshmallow variation

Follow the recipe as-is. Pour batter into 8x8x2 pan lined with foil. 

Bake at 350F for 20 minutes. Remove from oven. 

Cover semi-cooked batter with mini marshmallows. 

Bake an additional 5 minutes. Let cool in pan (I put the whole thing on a wire rack), then ice with chocolate buttercream. 

You'll thank me for this one. Then you'll curse me when you're running on the treadmill.