Fudge-like, cakey or chewy, chocolate brownie and butterscotch-tasting blondie squares, which I will refer to as "brownies", are also known as bar cookies. (See Typical Brownie Types). For my family, nothing beats the taste of a plain brownie (with lots of walnuts), however the recipes can handle all sorts of embellishments and add-ins, such as icing, dried cherries, chocolate chips, peanut butter, almonds and espresso flavoring. They can even be topped with cheesecake!  

Brownies are one of America's best-loved culinary inventions. "Although the origin of brownies is not clear, they have been eaten in the USA since the 19th century, first appearing in the 1897 Sears, Roebuck Catalog," says Alan Davidson in the Oxford Companion to Food. James Trager, author of The Food Chronology, says the first brownie recipe was "probably created when a careless cook failed to add baking powder to a chocolate cake batter." This has been traced to a housewife in Bangor Maine, when her chocolate cake didn't rise properly and she cut out flattened pieces from the pan.

Brownies are easy to make from scratch and are perhaps the most forgiving of all recipes; it is hard to go wrong with them. My mother taught me the basics of baking, and brownies were one of the first things I learned how to make. We had a standard brownie recipe that I still use today called The Thick Chocolate Fudge Brownies. I made a reduced-fat version of the original for my husband who has to watch his cholesterol, called Chocolate Fudge Reduced-Fat Brownies. 

Brownie ingredients always seem to be readily available, are mixed in one bowl. The batter is scraped into one pan with no need to roll out, cut shapes from, or bake batch after batch with. When baked, brownies are cut and served right from their pan, making clean-up simple. 

BROWNIE INGREDIENTS:

All brownie recipes seem to have five ingredients in common: chocolate and/or cocoa (except for blondies), flour, sugar, butter and eggs (and don't forget a pinch of salt!), but in varying amounts depending upon the texture desired. Many times baking soda and/or baking powder are used, more commonly in non-fudge-like brownie recipes. When I hear the name brownie, I think of gooey, fudgy bar cookies baked in a pan, either from scratch or from a mix. However, brownies can also be fudgy and chewy or cakey or a light  colored version of a brownie, called a blondie, depending on the recipe. But, the general rule is that you can’t make a fudgy brownie out of a cakey recipe; you need a fudgy brownie recipe to do so. If you know what to look for in advance, you can chose the texture you want.

In brownie recipes, excluding blondies, chocolate or cocoa powder are the main ingredient, which greatly influences the flavor and texture of the recipe. Choices range from unsweetened, semisweet, bittersweet, dark sweet, milk and white. Powdered cocoa can be natural or Dutch-processed. 

Chocolate contains fat (cocoa butter) which gives the brownies a smooth and chocolatey texture. It is usually used alone or in combination with cocoa-powder. Milk chocolate may be the most-consumed chocolate in the world, but when it comes to making brownies, the dark varieties have the most chocolate impact. Of the types of dark chocolate available: unsweetened chocolate contributes to a solid, intense foundation while semisweet provides a mellow, even somewhat sweet flavor. Bittersweet chocolate, my favorite, gives a nice, deep chocolate taste with a bite! Some recipes combine two varieties for more of an impact, such as in the Mexican Chocolate Fudge Brownies. However, white chocolate is being used more and more in brownies recipes such as the White Chocolate Pecan Brownies.

You don't have to run out and buy expensive baking chocolate -- my favorite recipes have been made from cocoa powder purchased from American brands such as Nestle's, Ghirardelli's and Hershey's found right in my local grocery store.  However, I'll confess that the more expensive the brand, such as some European ones because of more cocoa butter, the better the chocolate taste and creamier the texture!!  When I make brownies, I find that:

Cocoa powder is sometimes used in brownie recipes, with or without chocolate, either Dutch-processed or natural cocoa. I find that brownies made with all cocoa tend to be dry and lack an intense chocolate flavor, so I like to substitute some of the cocoa powder with unsweetened or semisweet dark chocolate squares. Two are used in my Chocolate Reduced-Fat Brownie Recipe. I also find that cocoa smoothes out any rough edges introduced by the unsweetened chocolate (which can contribute a sour, acrid flavor) and adds complexity to what can be the bland flavor of semisweet chocolate. 

Other ingredients include: 

Recipes vary by two mixing methods: The way in which the ingredients are mixed influences the texture of the brownie. In either case, do not overmix the batter especially when the flour is added; the less you mix, the more soft and chewy the brownie will be.  With a large spoon, the flour and leaveners are usually mixed in at the end until just combined. If you use an an electric mixer at this stage, it whips too much air into the mixture causing the brownie's texture to become more like a cake. It also overmixes the flour with the liquids, causing more gluten to form or what you will experience as a dry and flavorless brownie.

BAKING BROWNIE TIPS (More Bar Cookie Tips): In order to get them just right, I hope you will find my brownie tips to be of value. (See also, other baking tips). 

How to properly blend brownie ingredients: Most brownies start with melted chocolate. Whether you melt it with butter or not, use the gentle heat of a double boiler -- there's no remedy for scorched chocolate. But for more advanced bakers, melt chocolate on stove-top, place chocolate in 1-quart saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until chocolate is melted and smooth (1 to 2 minutes). Remove from heat; cool slightly.

If you are using cocoa powder, spoon it into a metal measuring spoon or cup, level it off and then sift to make sure it is lump free. If you add cocoa alone to the batter, you risk overmixing it, as cocoa powder alone takes awhile to incorporate, plus it always lumps and you can't get them out without straining the mixture.  

Does the baking pan used make a difference? Brownies can be made in either a light metal or glass pan. However, a greased, light metal pan conducts heat evenly and is the best option. Dark or glass pans conduct the heat too fast, causing dry edges and sides, so I don't like to use them.

Try to use the pan size called for in the recipe, because a larger or smaller one affects the texture. I like to use a 7 x 11-inch rectangular pan or an 8 x 8-inch square or round pan for smaller recipes. A 9 x 13-inch rectangular pan also works for the largest recipes. Sometimes within a recipe, baking time and pan size can make a difference: for extra chewy brownies, use an 8-inch pan and less baking time. For cake- like brownies, use 9-inch pan and longer baking. Make sure the pan is at most 2-inches high. If your baking pan is too large, the batter may spread and result in a dry brownie. If your baking pan is too small, the batter may undercook, especially in the middle. 

How to prepare the baking pan: Always grease the pan and you can additionally line it with a greased piece of aluminum foil. This works as a sling when you want to take all of the brownies from the pan at once, which in turn, helps you to cut even brownie squares. To take from pan, invert onto a platter and carefully peel the foil away from the brownies. Cut into bars.

How to put the batter in the pan: For best results, scrap all of the batter from the mixing bowl with a rubber spatula. Spread the batter with a light hand, evenly in the pan so that the finished bars aren't thin and dried out in one corner and thick and underdone in another.

Information about baking brownies: Baking temperatures for brownie recipes usually range from 325 to 375 degrees F, known as a moderate to a moderately hot oven. Always preheat the oven. Bake in the middle or center oven rack. When done, cool pan on top of a wire cake rack. 

If the bottoms of your brownies turn out too hard, next time set brownie pans on a cookie sheet to bake. This will insulate the pan from the heat from the oven and in turn, keeps the bottom from browning too much before the tops are done.

How to tell if the brownies are done: This is the hardest thing to judge and to explain to you. The tests for doneness are: a fudge brownie is done when it looks underbaked and slightly molten in the center, which will firm upon cooling. Plus, it is done when the sides shrink away slightly from the pan and the top has cracked slightly. For a cake brownie, a test for doneness is to insert a thin, wooden stick or toothpick in the middle and when removed, there should be moist crumbs attached. In either case, do not to overbake a brownie recipe or it will be dry and crumbly; it's best to underbake them. 

All about cooling and serving brownies: Brownies cut better and taste best when thoroughly cooled. They will crumble and crack if you remove them from the pan while they’re still warm -- however, in my family, we can never wait! Some swear by allowing the brownies to age at room temperature overnight before cutting and serving -- but, mine wouldn't last that long.  To prevent big cracks in brownies with a crisp top over a moist interior, lightly score the cutting lines on the surface with a knife while the brownies are still warm. Cut them all the way through after they cool. To keep brownies at their freshest, cut only what you need.

To cut, review my tips on How to Cut Even Brownie Squares. For a better look, trim about 1/4 inch off each edge first, which you can eat anyway (it's great with frosting). You'll have to rinse the knife blade under warm water, then shake it off well (or dry it) frequently, as these brownies tend to stick to the knife blade.

How to store brownies: (more Storage Info). Store brownies in a tightly covered container, or leave them in the pan and cover tightly with aluminum foil. If they contain cream cheese or other perishable ingredients, then store covered in the refrigerator. They remain good at room temperature for about 3 to 4 days, with the refrigerated ones for 5 days.

Brownies freeze nicely. If stored individually, wrap in plastic wrap (saran wrap because it's the only non permeable plastic wrap on the market) and then in foil. Place in an airtight bag. 

If freezing a whole pan of brownies, I first place the brownies in their pan in the freezer to harden. I remove the entire brownie block from the pan, wrap in plastic wrap (saran wrap because it's the only non permeable plastic wrap on the market) and then in foil. I then place in airtight bag and freeze. 

To thaw, place on a countertop in its wrappers. When thawed, remove them.