These are so rich and chocolatey! The recipe calls for cocoa powder, which lasts longer and is a little less expensive than baking chocolate. Use Dutch-processed cocoa powder when possible. Great for any time, any season!
Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: at least a dozen
Source: Recipe courtesy of my mom
Ingredients:
- 1 cup butter
- 1/4 cup shortening
- 3/4 cup cocoa powder
- 4 eggs
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1 1/2 cup flour
- 1 cup walnuts (optional)
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar for dusting (optional)
Steps:
- Melt butter and shortening over low heat.
- As soon as it is completely melted, whisk in the cocoa powder and beat till smooth.
- Stir in the sugar and remove the mixture from the heat.
- Break four eggs into a separate bowl, to catch any bits of shell, and then thoroughly beat into the sugary mixture. It should become smooth and glossy.
- Stir in the vanilla, and then stir in the flour and nuts (nuts optional).
- Pour into a greased and lightly floured 13 X 9 inch pan. Gently push the batter to fill the edges of the pan and make light swirls over the top. This is what creates that nice, paper-thin crisp on the top.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes.
- If you want to dress up the brownies, Sift a little powdered sugar over small templates. You can also cut out a snowflake/flower pattern from a small circle of paper (which is what I did). Hold the template in place on each individual brownie while you sift the powdered sugar 1-2 tablespoons at a time over their tops. Gently lift off the templates, making sure not to displace any sugar.
- Enjoy!
If you live in a humid climate, serve the brownies with powdered sugar immediately.
