Best Brownies!

Plate of perfect brownies

Have you noticed that, throughout the Pairables books, Talia, Mika, and Chloe often bake brownies?

In “The Unfair Day” (Pa_irables 2, Chapter 37), Talia and Mika even use a batch of brownies to remind Chloe that bitter, oily, floury, and sweet things, when mixed together, make delicious brownies - just as God promises to use all things, the hard, happy, and unfair things in life, for good.

What a beautiful thing to remember as you bake your own yummy brownies!

Here's how:

STEP 1: Gather these Ingredients

• ½ cup (1 stick) butter (or ½ cup coconut or vegetable oil for fudgier brownies)

• ¼ cup cocoa powder

• 1 cup flour (or 1 cup gluten-free all-purpose baking mix for GF)

• 1 cup sugar

• Pinch salt

• 2 eggs

• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

STEP 2: Prepare the Pan and Oven

• Set the oven to 350 degrees F.

• Set out a 9” square pan. Metal works best. If you use a glass dish, reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F and bake a little longer.

• To prepare the pan, oil the sides and bottom OR spray with cooking spray OR line it with parchment paper.

STEP 3: Mix the batter

• Soften the butter in a big bowl in the microwave, about 30 seconds. (Tip: Cover the bowl with a paper plate to prevent splatters.)

• Add the cocoa powder, flour, sugar, and salt to the butter. Mix until blended.

• Beat the eggs in a separate bowl. (Tip: Hersheyland.com recommends beating the eggs separately to guarantee a crackly top on your brownies and to avoid over-mixing the batter which makes it tough.)

• Add the vanilla to the egg mixture. Add to the batter and mix until blended.

STEP 4: Bake and test

• Pour batter into your prepared pan.

• Bake for 25 minutes.

• Test to see if they’re done. This is the tricky part! Brownies should be fudgy, not wet or dry. (1) The center should not be set with no jiggle. (2) The brownies should be pulling away from the sides of the pan. (3) A toothpick or fork inserted into the brownies should come out with moist crumbs on it. It should not be wet or totally dry.

• Bake for a few more minutes if needed and test again.

• Let the brownies rest for at least 15 minutes before serving. They continue to set during this time and it’s worth the wait.

• Cut into 16 brownies.

OPTIONS:

• Add ¼ tsp. of cayenne pepper for sweet and sassy brownies.

• Add ¼ tsp. cinnamon for autumn flavors.

• Add 1 cup of chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, or nuts for richer brownies.

• Replace the vanilla with almond or mint extract.

• Top with fresh raspberries.

Do you have a favorite brownie recipe or option? Please share!