Happy Birthday, Julia Child!

Lisa over at Champaign Taste created this event to honor the late great Julia Child, whose birthday is tomorrow, August 15th. Check out all the great cooking Julia inspired this weekend.

"You don't have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces--just good food from fresh ingredients."  --Julia Child

I chose to make Julia's "Best Ever Brownies" for my choco-holic husband and ended up eating them until I was practically sick.  And I don't even like chocolate that much, usually.  The only thing better than the simplicity of this truly chocolate laden treat is this truly chocolate laden treat with a couple of mini-scoops of Hagen Daaz Butter Pecan ice cream on top. 

Holy Cow.  Just thinking about it gives me a sugar buzz.

Now THAT'S the ticket. Uh huh. That's what I'm saying.

"Some people like to paint pictures, or do gardening, or build a boat in the basement. Other people get a tremendous pleasure out of the kitchen, because cooking is just as creative and imaginative an activity as drawing, or wood carving, or music."  --Julia Child

Click on the jump for the recipe.

Julia Child's Best Ever Brownies

40 minutes 15 mins prep

1 1/4	cups sifted all-purpose flour
1	teaspoon salt
8	ounces unsalted butter
4	ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
2	ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2	cups sugar
1	teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4	large eggs

1. Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350°.
2. Sift the flour and salt together and set aside.
3. Melt the butter and chocolate together in a medium saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently and keeping a watchful eye on the pot to make certain the chocolate doesn’t scorch (Alternatively, you can melt the ingredients in the top of a double boiler over, not touching, simmering water.) Add 1 cup of the sugar to the mixture and stir for half a minute, then remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
4. Pour the mixture into a large bowl.
5. Put the remaining 1 cup sugar and the eggs into a bowl and mix or whisk by hand just to combine.
6. Little by little, pour half of the sugar and eggs into the chocolate mixture, stirring gently but constantly with a rubber spatula so that the eggs don’t set from the heat.
7. Fit the whisk attachment to the mixer and whip the remaining sugar and eggs until they are thick, pale, and doubled in volume, about 3 minutes.
8. Using the rubber spatula, delicately fold the whipped eggs into the chocolate mixture.
9. When the eggs are almost completely incorporated, gently fold in the dry ingredients.
10. Pour and scrape the batter in to an unbuttered 9-inch square pan.
11. Bake the brownies for 25-28 minutes, during which time they will rise a little and the top will turn dark and dry.
12. Cut into the center at about the 23-minute mark to see how the brownies are progressing: they’ll be perfect if they’re just barely set and still pretty gooey.
13. They’re still awfully good on the other side of set, so don’t worry if you miss the moment on your first try.
14. Cool the brownies in the pan on a rack.

***Recipe reprinted from Recipe*zaar, an excellent recipe database.

Glenna's notes:

The directions say this makes 18 servings but not at my house.  More like my twp pieces culled out and then my husband takes the pan and a fork to his chair and eats until he's satisfied.  I don't know how many servings you'd call that.

Also, the directions say to bake this in one 9x9 snack cake sized pan. I actually split it into two 8x8 pans. The brownies are not as tall but they cook about 5 minutes faster.

I did grease the pan. There's a sh**load of butter in this recipe but I just didn't have enough faith that it wouldn't stick without Pam-ing the pan. You can take your chances and let me know if it works. --doubting Thomas

Comments

[Kate]

That's me in a nutshell, that quote of Julia's. Since I am recovering from surgery I am not participating in the event, but I love reading the links.

coffeepot's site 'Coffee and Cornbread' led me here, this site is really nice and I am all for linking up with other food sites. Eventually I will be back up to speed with my blog, recipes and such.

www.cooknkate.wordpress.com
Check it out!!

[Jeff]

Don't like chocolate that much??? *shakes head* Those brownies look IN-credible :D

[sher]

I've heard nothing but raves about that recipe, so I'll make it one day. She has one recipe where she uses those brownies to make a mousse filled bombe!!!

[Lisa]

I think it was the ice cream and not the brownies that made you sick. Surely the brownies, if anything, are medicinal. Har har! This is great, I'm so glad you joined in. (I love the pretty plate, too.)

[Rosie]

hmmmmmmmmmm...brownies... Soon, it will be baking time and this is going on my list...

Nothing like gilding the lily with ice cream, is there, Glenna?

[coffeepot]

I love brownies and those look great.

Your pictures are very good Glena.

[Glenna]

Kate--take care of yourself post-op and thanks for the compliments.

Jeff--I know. Makes me seriously un-American and of questionable estrogen levels. LOL!

Sher--Oh God, that almost makes me sick thinking about it. Those brownies are so good but they are rich beyond almost anything I've eaten. Can't imagine MORE sugar. Well, can. Ate them with ice cream, hehehe.

Lisa--I'm SURE that's it. Wink wink. I have to tell you I froze half of the brownies for Gene to eat later and I've noticed that they're already almost gone. He's been sneaking them at night.

Rosie--Oh yeah. When it comes to ice cream I say gild away!

Coffeepot--Thanks so much!

[Gnightgirl]

Love the way hubby digs in! When I want chocolate, brownies are the only thing that hit the spot for me. Yours looks amazing!

[Glenna]

Gnightgirl--Thanks! Gene is famous for back in my cake decorating days (and still), taking any "mistake" and eating it with a fork straight from the pan or platter until it's gone or he's done. And that SOB is 6' and weighs 175. Always has been, always will be. I ask you, how fair is that?

[Kristina]

G,

Those brownies were absolutely amazing last night, along with everything else there. Next girls night I'm not going to go out to eat before...we were dumb kids for doing that :) Thanks for everything!

[Glenna]

Kristina--you're so sweet! I had a great time too. Thanks for coming.

And yeah, even when I try not to, there's always plenty of food! I can't help myself.