After last week’s disaster, I desperately needed something to go well. My reputation is on the line! I’ve had pretty good success with brownies, so I chose another.

As you may remember from cream cheese and double-chocolate brownies, Martha cleverly placed 5 variations in the same section. 

Step 1: Gather ingredients: flour, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, chocolate chips, eggs, butter, chopped chocolate.

She suggested using either bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, so I used one bar of each. I’m a rebel.

Step 2: Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt. 

Step 3: In a bowl, over a pan of simmering water, (or in a double-boiler) melt butter and chocolate.

I know this seems like a lot of work, but it’s really not.

Step 4: Remove from heat and add sugar. 

Step 5: Mix in eggs. 

After stirring the eggs in circles, I switched to a whisk.

Better.

Step 6: Add flour mixture. 

Step 7: Add chocolate chips.

Step 8: Pour into a buttered, parchmented, buttered pan. Bake for 25-35 minutes. 

For the record, it took 35.

Step 9: Let cool for 30 minutes before removing from pan, then let cool completely before cutting. 

Whoopsie, no photo. I got so bored from the ease of this recipe that I forgot.

Link to original recipe

Yields: 16
I got: 16 (actually, I cut them into smaller pieces for sharing so more like 24)

Start time: 7:00
End time: 9:00ish (2 hours) – I cut when they were still warm
Martha’s estimated time: 3 hours (it said on the web recipe, not the app)

What did I learn? 

• You can recover from a disaster like those coconut bars!

What do I need to learn?

• Where have my cats been? They haven’t seemed interested in my baking for the past few.
• Why do people eat brownie batter? It looks disgusting.

Well, folks, there you have it. Money, success, fame, glamour.

I have to tell you, even though this takes a while overall, it’s worth it. Boxed brownies don’t come close.