Fudgy Brownies with a Guatemalan Twist

Fudgy Brownies 

from Better Homes and Gardens

Level: Easy

Prep Time: 20 min (without kids...LOL!)

Bake time: 40 min (in the pan we used)

30 min in regular 8x8 pan

Recipe

1/2 C butter

3 oz unsweetened chocolate

1 C sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

2/3 cup flour

1/4 tsp baking soda

Melt butter and chocolate over low heat

when melted, stir in sugar and vanilla, allow to cool

add eggs

Mix flour and baking soda in separate bowl

Add to chocolate mixture, stir well

Pour into greased pan

Bake at 350F until toothpick comes out clean

Guatemalan Twist: The chocolate we used is from Guatemala, some of what I brought back on my last trip. It is made by natives up in the mountains and sold on the streets in round discs. It has a unique taste and texture, so the brownies do not come out like the regular ones. 

Step 1: Wash hands. 

Note the dirt running down the inside of the sink. 

Yuck.

Wash hands again.

Get prepared. I usually get it all ready before they are in the kitchen. Saves on gray hair.

Use blonde kid as comical relief.

Get a sink of dish water going to combat spills along the way. Or to wash hands yet again.

The recipe says to chop the chocolate but giving a large knife to a small boy seemed a poor idea. Instead, place it in a sealed bag and let small boy smack it and roll it. This involves more comic relief by blonde kid.

 Cracking eggs is a job I start teaching at age 2-3. Just remember to always have them crack the eggs into a separate bowl so the eggshell bits can be retrieved easily. Oh, and wash their hands afterwards. No salmonella contaminated paws around here.

Melt butter and chocolate over low heat. Only the oldest Boy gets to stir things on the stove and only with close supervision and a step stool.

Add the dry ingredients to the pan. Stir well.

Pour into greased pan. This turns out really cool in this round casserole dish.

Clean up while brownies bake. 

I wasn't fast enough getting a picture of the final product! It turns out very airy, crunchy on the top and fudgy underneath.