BROWNIE

What is a Brownie?
A brownie is “a small square of rich chocolate cake, typically containing nuts”. They
may include nuts, frosting, cream cheese, chocolate chips, or other ingredients.
The Origin of Brownies
The first known recipe for brownies was published in the 1897 Sears, Roebuck
Catalogue. The origin of the Brownie is thought to be American. It is classified as a
bar cookie and is thought to derive its name from the brown color of the cookie.
Folklore has its origin coming from a careless cook that forgot to put baking powder
in the chocolate cake batter recipe. Since this time there are almost as many brownie
recipes as there are cooks.
Brownies Social and Historical Context
The chocolate industry thus played a major role in changing American tastes in
chocolate to something significantly less “chocolatey.”
Classic American brownies were heavily affected by these developments, primarily
through changes in the chocolate available and the culinary innovation of prepared
mixes. Three large food companies General Foods, General Mills, and Pillsbury
played an important role in the development of cake and brownie mixes in the middle
of the twentieth century, relying heavily on national distribution and advertising.
Companies sponsored national “Bake-Offs” or recipe contest events with cash prizes
to encourage home cooking innovation. They also regularly produced television
advertisements and sponsored cooking shows to promote their products.
How to make brownies

Ingredients:
 250g Chocolate
 250g unsalted butter
 300g sugar
 3 large eggs and 1 egg yolk
 60g flour
 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
 1 pinch of salt
 60g cocoa powder
 100g walnuts (optional)
Preparation:
 Mix butter and sugar
 Melt chocolate
 Add eggs to butter and sugar
 Add chocolate to butter sugar and eggs
 Add flour, baking powder, salt, cocoa powder and walnuts pour into lined
baking tin
 Bake at 180C for 30 mins
 Leave to cool completely before turning out and cutting