49 - Butterscotch Brownies


The recipe, a doubling with a bit of variation on the butterscotch brownies in 1975 Joy of Cooking, was a staple for years. As one of the few gringa mothers of Sam's AYSO Culver City Soccer Teams, these brownies were my much praised and always expected contribution for the carne asada fiestas where the mothers with recent roots in Mexico and Central America supplied the meat, tortillas, salads, etc.

They are quick and easy and are made with ingredients I always have in the house. Due to my own lack of scientific precision, primarily having to do with the amount of chocolate chips and the length of cooking time, there were always great variations in texture and tone. Although I now think they might be a bit too sweet (I may have resolved that problem by reducing the chocolate chips in the current version) they were a crowd pleaser for many years.

I no longer feed soccer teams, but the other day I made a batch and  everyone  was very happy.

Pre-heat oven to 350°.  Melt one stick (1/2 cup) butter in heavy saucepan. Stir in 2 cups brown sugar until dissolved. Remove from stove and let cool a bit before adding two eggs beaten slightly with two teaspoons vanilla.

Sift (or not--depending on many factors—mostly the sloth variable) 1 cup flour with 2 teaspoons double-acting baking powder and one teaspoon salt. Stir this into the butter mixture. Put about one cup of walnuts in the blender and smash them until almost a paste, trying to leave some distinct little chunks-and stir that into the mixture. Add 1/2 to 3/4 cup of chocolate chips (better to have the mixture relatively cool--so chips retain their chip nature and don't melt into strips of chocolate--unless of course you prefer molten chocolate strips).

Pour the batter into a 13" by 9" pan. Bake at 350 degrees between twenty minutes and a half hour. Try not to let the edges get too dry. It’s all better slightly undercooked--but always a little tricky. Once again, all mistakes are absolved when served.

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