I'm heading back to Birmingham this weekend to visit my Southern Progress friends, one of which is letting me crash on her couch. She's a food stylist and recipe developer (among other things) so I was a little worried about what to get her as a thank you.
Then I calmed down and realized I could bake her a treat. I chose Bea's Brownies, which are named after my great-great aunt. These brownies include two delicious layers; Hershey's syrup and lots of eggs make the brownie layer cake-moist and the frosting is basically an old-fashioned fudge (butter, sugar, milk and chocolate chips) that sets quickly and melts in your mouth.
Oh, man, just writing about them makes me want to run downstairs and cut a huge piece for myself! Must resist...
Another reason I love these brownies is that it uses pantry staples like Hershey's syrup and chocolate chips to bring on the chocolate flavor. In all, it's a pretty darn cheap recipe to make. And because the brownies are cake-like, you won't feel heavy or bloated after eating them.
Now, for those of you who don't like chocolate, I bet you will like these. My evidence? My brother, who likes white chocolate over milk chocolate, loves these brownies. My dad, who can only handle the amount of chocolate in a mini Snickers or Reese's Cup, will devour these brownies.
The chocolate is there, but it won't clonk you over the head. Bea's Brownies are classier than that. And if you really don't like them, send 'em back to me and I'll eat them. Seriously.
I hope you enjoy these as much as my family has for four generations. They would be a lovely end to a cookout (think Memorial Day coming up) or just because.
Bea's Brownies (approximately 36 bars)
1 cup sugar
1 stick butter
4 eggs
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup Hershey's chocolate syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9x13 pan with cooking spray.
2. Cream together sugar and butter with a mixer. Add the four eggs, one at a time, mixing slightly after you add each egg.
3. Sift together the flour and baking powder. Add to the wet mixture and mix well.
4. Add the Hershey's syrup and vanilla extract; mix well.
5. Pour the brownie mixture your greased pan. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool completely before frosting.
Frosting:
1 1/3 cup sugar
7 tablespoons butter (cut up)
6 tablespoons milk
4 ounces of chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1. Mix together sugar, butter, and milk in a small saucepan.
2. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil for exactly two minutes.
3. Remove from heat and add the chocolate chips and vanilla. Whip with a spoon until well blended.
4. Pour over brownies and spread evenly. Tip: the frosting sets up pretty quickly so don't be alarmed.
5. Chill in the fridge to set the frosting. Store in the fridge; you can also set them out and serve at room temperature so the frosting is soft.
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