Question about "the" brownie recipe Barb's that is PostedAndMailed: yes

No---o-o--o-o-o, I use Hershey's unsweetened chocolate from the supermarket. And have won three blue ribbons at my State Fair doing so. Have never used Scharffenberger unless Margaret gave me some once long ago. I don't think so. Margaret likes to harrbutt me about what we both consider to be edible chocolate and in her mind, nothing with Hershey's qualifies. :-) I think Kay Hartman was maybe into Scharffenberger and Callebaut, but I'm not that clbutty. Two prize-winning recipes follow -- I daresay most folks who have made them have used the first recipe. I hope you enjoy them, Roberta. -Barb

* Exported from MasterCook Mac *

Barb Schaller's Famous Orgasmic Chocolate Brownies

Recipe By : Barb Schaller Serving Size : 24 Preparation Time :0:45 Categories : Bars

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 1 cup unsalted butter -- (8 oz.) 4 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate 2 cups granulated sugar -- (15 oz.) 4 eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 teaspoon almond extract 1 cup chopped nuts, optional (walnuts or pecans) 1 1/3 cups cake flour -- (6 oz.) 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt

Move oven rack to center and preheat oven to 350 F. Line a 9x13" metal baking pan with parchment paper.

In microwave oven, on medium-high power, melt butter and chocolate in 2-quart microwave-safe bowl, about 3 minutes. Stir until smooth. Mix in granulated sugar, then beat in eggs, one at a time, with wire whisk. Mix in vanilla and almond. Stir in nuts. Combine cake flour, baking powder, and salt and fold into chocolate. Spread batter in 9x13" pan lined with baking parchment and bake in preheated oven at 350F for about 33-35 minutes. Do not overbake; toothpick may have fudgy crumbs on it, but not wet batter. Cool pan on wire rack for 15 minutes before removing (if you wish) brownies from pan.

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NOTES : Please, keep the moaning down; it annoys the neighbors. I use the baking parchment so the whole can be removed from the pan for easy transport to a lucky recipient. May want to support the bottom with cardboard.

First Place, Plain Brownies, 1997 and 2002 Minnesota State Fairs. Adapted from recipe in Cook's Illustrated magazine, March/April 1994. Please note that I do use real chocolate, unsalted butter and cake flour. If you do not, don't complain to me about it. In fact, don't complain to me about it anyway. And I don't believe the nutritional analysis at the bottom of this page!

Barb Schaller M.A. Gedney Company's State Fair Peach Raspberry Jam and Cherry Jam Lady Burnsville, Minnesota

* Exported from MasterCook Mac *

Barb Schaller's Blue Ribbon Chocolate Cherry Amaretto Browni

Recipe By : Barb Schaller - First Place, 2005 Minnesota State Fair Serving Size : 24 Preparation Time :0:00 Categories : Bars

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 1/2 cup dried cherries -- finely chopped 4 oz unsweetened baking chocolate 1 cup unsalted butter -- (2 sticks, 8 oz) 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder 2 tbsp Amaretto di Saronno liqueur 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 tsp almond extract 1/2 tsp salt 2 cups granulated sugar 4 eggs 1/2 cup Gedney State Fair Cherry Preserves (Barb Schaller's recipe) 1 cup toasted walnuts 1 1/2 cups cake flour (6-1/2 ounces -- ~170g) 1 tsp baking powder

Move oven rack to middle of oven. Line a metal 9x13" baking pan with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350 F.

Chop the cherries in a food processor or with great skill and a sharp knife; set aside.

Melt the chocolate and butter in a 2-quart microwave safe glbutt mixing pitcher, about two minutes at full power. Stir to melt chocolate completely and stir in cocoa powder.

Whisk in Amaretto, almond and vanilla extracts, salt, and sugar. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time. Add the Cherry Preserves, the reserved chopped dried cherries, walnuts, and mix well.

Combine the flour and baking powder and whisk into chocolate mixture until no white flour remains. Pour into parchment-lined baking pan and bake at 350 for about 33-35 minutes, using a toothpick to test for doneness. Fudgy crumbs are okay, wet batter on the pick is not.

When done, remove from oven and set pan on a cooling rack to cool for about 15 minutes. Remove brownies from pan to finish cooling: tilt pan and quickly slip the brownies from the pan using the parchment to lift and pull them out. You should be able to do this without wrecking the brownies.

When completely cooled, frost with your favorite chocolate icing to which 1/3 cup Gedney Cherry Preserves and 2-3 Tbsp Amaretto di Saronna liqueur have been added. Lick the bowl of any remains! Cut into 12-24 pieces, depending on your lust for chocolate and cherry! Store covered at room temperature for a day or two (if they last that long) or freeze for later enjoyment.

Notes: Yes, I do use unsalted butter, cake flour, real almond extract, and a flat wire whisk for mixing. If you don't, don't complain to me about it. In fact, don't complain to me anyway! "-)

And I do hope you will enjoy these as much as we and the Fair Judging staff did! A cup of good coffee or an icy cold glbutt of milk will only enhance the experience. Oh, baby; oh, baby.

Dobru' chut'! (The Slovak equivalent of "Enjoy!")

Thanks for looking! I may have pictures later. Or I may not.

2005 State Fair Blue Ribbon Winner Barbara Schaller 2005 -Barb Schaller, Burnsville, Minnesota

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