BROWNIE WARS

Ask 5 people what kind of brownies they prefer and you're apt to get 5 different answers. Do you prefer fudgey or cake-like brownies? plain or nut-studded? thin or thick? The possibilities are endless.

 I don't bake often since I try to eat healthfully (and keep my butt in one zip code) and because DSO is diabetic and needs to watch his carb intake. However, once a year on the night before Opening Day of deer season, his hunting club has a big dinner and he asks me to make him a dessert to bring. This year he wanted brownies. I've made him brownies before and he always gobbles them up and compliments them...and then lets slip that he REALLY likes more cake-like brownies, though mine are delicious. Since I've been baking the standard Hershey cookbook brownie forever, I did a search for "cake-like brownies," evaluated the results, and decided to try the one I found on www.best-ever-cookie-collection.com.

 I baked 2 pans of brownies, one plain and the other with nuts. If you looked verrrry carefully at each pan, you might have noticed one brownie  about a half-inch shorter than the others. I did it for YOU, my readers. I had to be able to evaluate the results and report on them, didn't I?

Chocolate Cake Like Brownies Recipe

• 3/4 cup butter
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
2. Grease a 15x10x1-inch baking pan and set aside. (I used 9X13 and increased cooking time to 30 minutes)
3. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
4. Remove saucepan from heat and stir in sugar and cocoa powder until well combined.
5. Add eggs and vanilla and beat lightly with a wooden spoon until just combined.
6. In a separate small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and baking soda.
7. Add flour mixture to the chocolate mixture, stir in milk until well blended.
8. Stir in nuts, if using.
9. Pour batter into prepared pan and spread evenly.
10. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
11. Cool two hours on a wire rack and cut your delicious cake like brownies into any size and shape you desire.

TASTE NOTES

These were, by far, the best brownies I've ever baked. The texture was perfect; they were just sweet enough. They held together beautifully and were a dream to cut. They needed no frosting, but were just a perfect mouthful of chocolatey goodness. I personally preferred the ones with nuts (DSO, of course, loved the plain).