Ice Bath Brownies

The greater part of seven years ago, I was out on my own for the first time, and learning how to cook by myself. My kitchen was carpeted (horrible I know, I know!) One evening while pulling my mastered specialty of Gouda stuffed chicken breasts courtesy of the Betty Crocker Cookbook out of the oven, I accidentally set the glass baking dish on a burner I had forgotten to turn off. In less than 5 seconds, there was a loud popping sound and glass shards and Gouda stuffed chicken were everywhere, including that lovely carpet. Luckily no one was in the kitchen at the time, and I considered it a lesson learned, and vowed to never do something like that again.

Time passed, I learned to be more careful and during the next 7 years, exploding glass didn‘t occur in my now un-carpeted kitchen again, until last week that is.... In a previous post I mentioned my brownie recipe disaster. Now the recipe itself was not disastrous, but the baking methods of a tired mama were. This specific brownie recipe calls for the brownies to be placed directly in an ice bath after coming out of a 400 degree oven. Due to the whole ice bath thing, the brownies need to be baked in a tin pan, and I unfortunately baked them in a glass pan. Well what happens when you put a 400 degree glass pan into an ice bath? Um, it uh, explodes and you end up with soaking wet brownies and little pieces of glass all over your kitchen! Using a glass pan is not recommended! PLEASE WHEN MAKING THESE BROWNIES USE A METAL PAN! If you use a metal pan, these brownies will come out moist, fudgy, and decadent, the way they did the next time I attempted to make them. The ice bath method creates a brownie that is crisp on the outside and creamy on the inside, equalling brownie perfection! These brownies would taste even better if you added walnuts, I did not because the hubby is a not a walnut fan. Next time I make them I think I will use walnuts, and then I can have them all to myself……

When choosing a chocolate for this recipe, use something decent, like Ghirardelli. Don’t be tempted to buy the Bakers chocolate because it is cheaper, it tastes cheaper too!

Ice Bath Brownies
Makes 16 2-inch brownies

8 Tablespoons unsalted butter
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1 ¼ Cups sugar
¼ Teaspoon salt
1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
2 Large eggs
½ Cup all-purpose flour
2/3 Cup walnuts (optional)

1 8-inch square metal pan, lined along the bottom and sides with parchment paper or tin foil.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Position the rack in the lower third of the oven.

Melt the butter and chocolate together in a medium saucepan or double boiler. When the mixture is melted and smooth, remove from heat. Stir in the sugar, vanilla, and salt. Add the eggs, one at a time. Stir in the flour and beat with a spoon until the batter in smooth and glossy. The batter is ready when it starts to pull away from the sides of the pan. Stir in the nuts. Spread the batter into the pan. Bake for 20 minutes or just until the brownies start to pull away from the sides of the pan. The center of the brownies will still be gooey when tested with a toothpick. While the brownies are baking, prepare and ice bath. Fill a large baking pan or roasting pan with ice cubes and water until about ¾ inches deep. When the brownies are ready, remove pan from the oven and set immediately in the ice bath. Be careful not to splash any water on the brownies. Cool the brownies in the ice bath, and then cut and serve!