Chocolate brownie

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A chocolate brownie is a flat, baked square or bar introduced in the United States at the end of
the nineteenth century and popularized in both the U.S. and Canada during the first half of the
twentieth century. The brownie is sliced from a type of dense, rich chocolate cake, which is, in
texture, like a cross between a cake and a cookie. Brownies come in a variety of forms. They
are either fudgy or cakey, depending on their density, and they may include nuts, frosting,
whipped cream, chocolate chips, or other ingredients.

Brownies are common lunchbox fare, typically eaten by hand, and often accompanied by milk
or coffee. They are sometimes served warm with ice cream (à la mode) or topped with
whipped cream, especially in restaurants.

Origins

The brownie first appeared in public during the 1893 Columbian Exposition, held in Chicago,
Illinois. A chef at the city's Palmer House Hotel created the confection after Bertha Palmer
requested a dessert for ladies attending the fair; it should be, she said, smaller than a piece of
cake and easily eaten from boxed lunches. These first brownies featured an apricot glaze and
walnuts, and they are still being made at the hotel according to the original recipe.