Jill wants to hold a bake sale to earn some money for the Marlowe School Scholarship fund. She tells Heather, Tanesha, and Sandy to come to her house with some brownies. Valerie convinces them to hold a contest. This story highlights the Denver Cereal 2012 Brownie Contest Finalists.
The Castle Brownie Contest
(part four)
“Can I have one?” Nash asked.
Sandy nodded and Nash reached for a brownie. Charlie took the one Nash reached for. Nash moved his hand to the next one but Mike took it from him.
“Hey! Wait a minute!” Nash said. “Everyone stop!”
They turned to look at him. Nash selected a brownie off of Sandy’s plate.
“Thank you,” Nash said.
Laughing, everyone tried a brownie from Sandy’s plate.
“Wow,” Heather said. “These are really different.”
“They’re incredibly light,” Valerie said. “Did you use the same chocolate?”
“Ghirardelli,” Sandy looked at Jill and Tanesha.
“That’s what we use,” Heather said.
“Did you agree before hand?” Delphie asked.
“No,” Jill laughed. “Sandy picked it as the chocolate. We’re too intimidated to use anything else.”
“I like it,” Sandy said.
“Any chocolate is good chocolate,” Katy said.
Everyone laughed.
“The recipe calls for Cadbury’s,” Sandy said. “And that’s really good, but it’s not what people expect when they have a brownie.”
“Not as chocolaty,” Heather said. “More like an amazing dessert.”
“Gourmet,” Jill said.
“Is gourmet good?” Sandy blushed.
“Gourmet is fabulous,” Valerie said. “I love these. They’re so light and have a wonderful texture.”
“Like cake,” Charlie said while he reached for another brownie.
“Mike?” Jill asked.
“They’re okay,” Mike said. “But no…”
“Salt!” Everyone said together.
A little giddy from the chocolate and sugar, they laughed.
“I don’t think this one has enough flavor,” Noelle said. “It’s too soft and…”
“I still like my super chocolaty ones the best,” Katy said.
“How many have you had?” Jill asked.
“Was I ‘sposed to count?” Katy asked. “It’s a brownie contest.”
“Maybe you should take a little break,” Jill said.
Katy scowled at her mother and Jill shook her head.
“I like these,” Delphie said. “They’re not too sweet and not too over the top. I like that they’re a little firmer. I mean, I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings and I’m certainly not saying that any of them are bad.”
“But?” Valerie asked.
“I’d make these,” Delphie said. “Are they hard?”
“Not really,” Sandy said. “I’ll get you the recipe.”
“Nash?” Tanesha asked. “What do you think?”
“Mmmm,” Nash said while he was chewing.
“These are kind of the opposite of Heather’s brownies,” Jill said. “They’re delicate where the other has lots of flavor.”
“They are definitely bookends of the fancy spectrum,” Tanesha said.
“Can someone eat too much chocolate?” Jill asked Tanesha.
She nodded toward Katy.
“No!” Katy said. “That’s just silly.”
“Sure you can eat too much of anything?” Tanesha scowled at Katy.
Jill’s furrowed brow caused everyone to turn and look at Katy. Heather put her hand on Katy’s forehead as if she had a fever.
“How are you feeling, Katy?” Sandy asked.
Katy looked from her mother to Heather and then at Tanesha.
“I’m fine Auntie Sandy,” Katy laughed. “You can’t trick me into thinking I ate too many brownies right before Mommy’s come out of the oven.”
“What?” Jill acted surprised.
“You can’t trick me,” Katy pointed to her mother. “I know what you’re doing.”
“What am I doing?”
“Trying to trick me into not eating your brownies,” Katy said. “I’m not fooled.”
“Well, I’m happy eating Auntie Heather’s brownies,” Noelle said.
“I like these,” Valerie pointed to Sandy’s plate.
“Me too,” Delphie said.
“Charlie?” Sandy asked.
“I was wondering when the other brownies would be done,” Charlie said.
All eyes turned to Jill. She picked up the timer.
“Four more minutes,” Jill said.
“Great,” Nash said. “Let’s eat more brownies!”
The Castle Brownie contest continues next Sunday…
Sandy’s brownie – recipe created and submitted by Jo Rose
Canola oil spray
125g (9 T) unsalted butter
200g milk or dark chocolate buttons (Cadbury is the best)
2 x-large eggs (70 grams each) slightly beaten (needs to be mixed with vanilla essence when “slightly beaten”)
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1 cup castor sugar (superfine sugar)
1 cup plain flour (sift together with baking powder)
1 teaspoon baking powder
Method:
Preheat oven to 180°C (350F) and line a 20cm x 30cm (8 x 11 in) baking tray with baking paper, spray with canola oil spray and put in oven while pre-heating.
In a medium saucepan melt the butter and chocolate buttons over a low heat. Only just melt the butter and buttons. (If the mixture gets too hot it may start to cook the eggs, when you add them.)
Once butter and chocolate is melted add eggs/vanilla essence slowly until combined.
Transfer to mixing bowl. I use a large mixing bowl – wide base but not deep.
Add castor sugar, plain flour and baking powder (flour and baking powder, sifted together), stir with a wooden spoon, but for no more than 1 minute. It can look a bit lumpy, don’t panic.
Pour into the heated lined baking tray.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes.
Remove from oven, leave in baking tray for 5 minutes and then remove brownies still on baking paper to wire rack to cool. Once cooled cut into pieces.
