Microwave Brownies

This is a scary recipe, because you can have brownies in about 25 minutes from now. That's scary knowledge for me to know I can almost instantly have brownies at any time. These aren't the worlds best brownies, but they are very good and did I mention you can have them in about 25 minutes. I suggest serving them with ice cream and Edna's chocolate sauce, which you can make while the brownies are in the microwave. I usually make the frosted version of these brownies. This recipe is from America's Test Kitchen.

MICROWAVE BROWNIES

For mocha brownies, a 1T instant espresso powder to the batter. For nut brownies, add ½ c toasted, chopped walnuts to the batter along with the other dry ingredients. The cookbook claims you must eat these brownies warm because the turn rock hard after they cool. I haven’t found that to be true. I like them better cool.

INGREDIENTS

3 large eggs

1 ½ c (10 ½ oz) sugar

8 T (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted (in microwave)

3/4 c (3 3/4 oz) unbleached all-purpose flour

1 c (4 oz) cocoa powder

1/8 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

½ c semisweet chocolate morsels

1. Spray an 8 by 8-inch microwave safe baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Whisk together the eggs and sugar in a medium bowl. Slowly whisk in the melted and cooled butter. Stir in the flour, cocoa powder, and salt. Stir in the vanilla and chocolate morsels. With a spatula, scrape the batter into the prepared pan.

3. Microwave on high until a toothpick or skewer inserted into the center comes out clean, 5 to 7 minutes. You can tell the brownies need more time if, when the pan is tilted, the brownies slouch to the lower side. Cool the brownies for 10 minutes, cut into squares, and serve warm.

Note: On a episode of America's Test Kitchen they said for chewy brownies to use 70% unsaturated fat and 30% saturated fat. So maybe next time use oil and butter.

FROSTED MICROWAVE BROWNIES

Follow the recipe for Microwave Brownies, microwaving them for only 4 minutes. Remove the pan from the microwave and evenly sprinkle ½ c semisweet chocolate morsels over the top of the brownies. Return the pan to the microwave and cook for an addition 1 to 3 minutes (or until a toothpick or skewer inserted into the center comes out clean). Remove the pan from the microwave and, using the back of a spoon, spread the softened chocolate morsels (they will not melt in the microwave) over the top of the brownies. Cool and cut into squares as directed.