I have literally never had two cooks in my tiny kitchen.
While my mom has two new, beautiful, perfectly functioning ovens, I have only my one very old, very finicky oven.
She probably had to pack more baking supplies than clothes.
Her kitchen is about as big as the first floor of my townhouse. My kitchen is literally the size of a walk-in closet.
In the grand scheme of things, it makes far more sense to embark upon these baking projects in her house, but we made it work, and we had fun.
While we wanted to try some new recipes, there are also some non-negotiable Christmas favorites that must be made every single year. I'll get to the new recipes soon, but I'm starting with my holiday baking must-haves, and these brownies top that list.
I'm not exaggerating. They are the.greatest.brownies.ever. ever.
We got the recipe from family friends years ago and have been making them for special occasions ever since. Once we even got a little crazy at Valentine's Day and decided to cut them into heart shapes. That was a little ridiculous. I don't actually recommend going there. But do make them sometime.
You will be in chocolate heaven.
What You Need:
Your favorite brownie mix - enough to make two 13 x 9 recipes
The associated ingredients for that mix (eggs, oil, etc.)
3 Hershey's Symphony bars
I highly recommend Ghirardelli Triple Chocolate Brownie Mix.
Procedure:
Mix two packages of brownie mix according to package directions. It is a good idea to mix each package in its own bowl so that you don't have to guess at how much 'half' is later.
Pour one mixed brownie mix into a 13 x 9 inch baking pan (lining is our latest and greatest trick and makes for super easy clean-up).
Top brownie mix with Symphony Bars. I highly recommend the bars with almonds and toffee chips. They make the brownie.
Pour remaining brownie mix on top of Symphony Bars.
Bake according to package directions. Here's the really hard part. When they are done, you have to let them sit for hours at room temperature. The chocolate melts on the inside, so you can't cut it for a really long time. And your whole house smells like brownies, and you want one so badly that you're dying inside. Dying. Oh, and don't try and speed up the cooling process by putting the pan into the refrigerator or freezer. Then the chocolate will harden to the point that it is impossible to cut. Patience is key here. Not one of my virtues, so I distracted myself by starting another recipe, which you'll be seeing here soon.
Now for the best part. The actual edges of the brownie just don't meet the standards of the rest of the brownie, so once the pan is cooled, you should cut off about a half inch around the entire outside. Since those scraps really aren't fit for serving to company, feel free to enjoy! ;-) My mom always cuts the brownies into pretty small squares. They are really rich, so a small taste is usually just enough.
The brownies are back in Michigan, so I can't sneak a piece before Christmas. This is probably a good thing. But I did keep the bag of scraps. He he.
Stay tuned for more Christmasy desserts!
Those scraps were for Alex!
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