Brownies and Hot Fudge

Okay, this is the last post of the night. I've cooked enough for one day, and I have the messy kitchen to prove it. Trust me, it's a wreck!

Today I made brownies, as per my husband's request, and hot fudge. Add that to the cookies & cream ice cream I made last week, and we have one sinful combination.

I didn't do step by step directions, but I did take a picture of the final result. It was delicious! :)

The following recipes are not my own. They are recipes that I found online today. The brownies baked sort of funny. They raised up on the sides. I'm thinking that my pan may have been an 8" sq, instead of a 9". That could have been the difference. Still tasted heavenly. If you're looking for cake like brownies, these aren't what you're looking for. These are dense and fudgy.



Rich, Fudgy Brownies
(recipe found on www.finecooking.com)

8 oz. (1 cup) unsalted butter; more softened butter for the pan
3 oz. (2/3 cup) unbleached all-purpose flour; more for the pan
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2-1/2 oz. (3/4 cup) unsweetened natural cocoa powder
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. table salt

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour a 9-inch-square metal baking pan, tapping out the excess flour.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Remove the pan from the heat. Whisk or stir in the sugar, followed by all four of the eggs and the vanilla. Stir in the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt, starting slowly to keep the ingredients from flying out of the pan and stirring more vigorously as you go. Stir until the batter is smooth and uniform, about 1 minute. If you’re using the portsoaked cherries, stir them in at this time, along with any remaining liquid from the saucepan.

Spread the batter into the prepared baking pan, smoothing it so it fills the pan evenly. Bake until a toothpick or a skewer inserted 3/4 inch into the center of the brownies comes out with just a few moist clumps clinging to it, about 40 minutes. Let the brownies cool completely in the pan on a rack.

Cut into 16 squares. Keep the brownies at room temperature, well wrapped. You can freeze them, too.



Easy Hot Fudge
(recipe found on www.allrecipes.com)

1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
4 (1 ounce) squares semisweet chocolate
2 tablespoons butter (no substitutes)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a heavy saucepan, combine the milk, chocolate and butter. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until chocolate is melted. Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla.