I really want to make these....

I know that she (you) use the schneakldjfklberger (something like
that*G*) chocolate. I can only find sweetened stuff locally...Is it
possible to use, perhaps bittersweet and just reduce the amount of sugar?

In case someone else would like to venture a guess...the recipe calls
for 4 oz unsweetened chocolate and 2 cups of sugar.....

My other option is to use a "sub-par" baking chocolate.

What would you do?

Roberta (in VA)

In article <wDiLf.68895$bF.18533@dukeread07>,
Roberta > wrote:

> I really want to make these....
>
> I know that she (you) use the schneakldjfklberger (something like
> that*G*) chocolate. I can only find sweetened stuff locally...Is it
> possible to use, perhaps bittersweet and just reduce the amount of sugar?
>
> In case someone else would like to venture a guess...the recipe calls
> for 4 oz unsweetened chocolate and 2 cups of sugar.....
>
> My other option is to use a "sub-par" baking chocolate.
>
> What would you do?
>
> Roberta (in VA)

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 harrass 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 classy. 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.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

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 glass 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 glass 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


- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

_____
--
http://www.jamlady.eboard.com, updated 2-19-2006, Yummy! and church review. :-)

Melba's Jammin' wrote:

> NOTES : Please, keep the moaning down; it annoys the neighbors.
> May want to support the bottom with
> cardboard.
>

Barbara, I did not think you could still shock me, but after reading
this......

"Roberta" > wrote in message
news:wDiLf.68895$bF.18533@dukeread07...
>I really want to make these....
>
> I know that she (you) use the schneakldjfklberger (something like that*G*)
> chocolate. I can only find sweetened stuff locally...Is it possible to
> use, perhaps bittersweet and just reduce the amount of sugar?
>
> In case someone else would like to venture a guess...the recipe calls for
> 4 oz unsweetened chocolate and 2 cups of sugar.....
>
> My other option is to use a "sub-par" baking chocolate.
>
> What would you do?


I use Hershey's or Baker's, and they turn out pretty darn good. If they got
any better, they'd never make it out of my kitchen, and no one else in the
family would get any. Try it w/ the plain old baking chocolate and see for
yourself.

Which reminds me, I was going to have a brownie bake-off this week, and I
forgot. I was going to pit Barb's brownies against Anne Bourget's brownies
(they were the gold standard around rfc many, many moons ago) and Hershey's
Deep Dish cocoa brownies (these would lose, but the kids like them). Maybe
we'll do that this weekend!

Chris

On Thu, 23 Feb 2006 15:33:44 GMT, Chris wrote:


> I was going to pit Barb's brownies against Anne Bourget's brownies
>(they were the gold standard around rfc many, many moons ago) and Hershey's
>Deep Dish cocoa brownies (these would lose, but the kids like them). Maybe
>we'll do that this weekend!
>
>Chris
>
Thanks folks, I have been doing low carb, and now I'm missing Barb's
brownies. They are the best that I have tasted , but I would be
interested in the competition
--
Pan Ohco
I would like to see the bottom of my monitor, but I have cats.

"Pan Ohco" > wrote in message
...
> On Thu, 23 Feb 2006 15:33:44 GMT, Chris wrote:
>
>
>> I was going to pit Barb's brownies against Anne Bourget's brownies
>>(they were the gold standard around rfc many, many moons ago) and
>>Hershey's
>>Deep Dish cocoa brownies (these would lose, but the kids like them).
>>Maybe
>>we'll do that this weekend!
>>
>>Chris
>>
> Thanks folks, I have been doing low carb, and now I'm missing Barb's
> brownies. They are the best that I have tasted , but I would be
> interested in the competition.

I made the Deep Dish ones recently because I needed to find a "tall" brownie
recipe for my daughter's birthday (she doesn't like cake, but loves
brownies...and yet a thin, flat pan of brownies looks so wimpy w/ candles in
it). I had remembered that recipe as being cakey, but discovered that with
judicious underbaking, they were moist and gooey inside, with a crackly top
crust -- very tasty and not cakey. Not as fudgey as some, but very, very
good. But the proof is in the pudding...I want to try them next to each
other. Figured that Anne's brownies (which won my early 90's brownie
bakeoff) would be fun to try again, too.

Will let you know my results -- I don't know when I'm going to try this.
Probably when I have enough tasters around so that I don't gobble up all the
brownies by myself!

Chris

I made brownies for Valentine's day that run a close secnod, sorry
Barb! Te bottom layer is basic brownie ad the top layre is a fudgey,
trfuule-y layer, like a mousse topping. I can post the recipe if
anyone's interested.

I shelled out twice as much money for Scarfen-Berger chocolate this
year and don't think they tasted any different than when I use Baker's
bittersweet or Ghiradelli bittersweet as I have in the past.

Jude wrote:
> I made brownies for Valentine's day that run a close secnod, sorry
> Barb! Te bottom layer is basic brownie ad the top layre is a fudgey,
> trfuule-y layer, like a mousse topping. I can post the recipe if
> anyone's interested.
>
> I shelled out twice as much money for Scarfen-Berger chocolate this
> year and don't think they tasted any different than when I use Baker's
> bittersweet or Ghiradelli bittersweet as I have in the past.
>

First, it's good to know I don't have to hunt down "better" chocolate...

Second, is there REALLY anyone that would turn down a brownie recipe???

Please!

Roberta (in VA)

In article .com>,
"Jude" > wrote:

> I made brownies for Valentine's day that run a close secnod, sorry
> Barb!

Hey, different strokes and all. (Bitch!)

> Te bottom layer is basic brownie ad the top layre is a fudgey,
> trfuule-y layer, like a mousse topping. I can post the recipe if
> anyone's interested.

I had a recipe like that once, I think. Would you post it, please?
--
http://www.jamlady.eboard.com, updated 2-19-2006, Yummy! and church review. :-)

"Roberta" > wrote in message
news:wDiLf.68895$bF.18533@dukeread07...
>I really want to make these....
>
> I know that she (you) use the schneakldjfklberger (something like that*G*)
> chocolate. I can only find sweetened stuff locally...Is it possible to
> use, perhaps bittersweet and just reduce the amount of sugar?
>
> In case someone else would like to venture a guess...the recipe calls for
> 4 oz unsweetened chocolate and 2 cups of sugar.....
>
> My other option is to use a "sub-par" baking chocolate.
>
> What would you do?
>
> Roberta (in VA)

Can you find another good quality chocolate? Say, Valrhona or El Rey? That
would be the best option. The sugar in brownies acts as much more than a
sweetener, so lessening the sugar may produce tasty brownies, but not the
same brownies, with the same texture. The sugar contributes to the
chewy/fudgy texture, and that's why brownies have so much!

kimberly

Nexis wrote:
> "Roberta" > wrote in message
> news:wDiLf.68895$bF.18533@dukeread07...
>
>>I really want to make these....
>>
>>I know that she (you) use the schneakldjfklberger (something like that*G*)
>>chocolate. I can only find sweetened stuff locally...Is it possible to
>>use, perhaps bittersweet and just reduce the amount of sugar?
>>
>>In case someone else would like to venture a guess...the recipe calls for
>>4 oz unsweetened chocolate and 2 cups of sugar.....
>>
>>My other option is to use a "sub-par" baking chocolate.
>>
>>What would you do?
>>
>>Roberta (in VA)
>
>
> Can you find another good quality chocolate? Say, Valrhona or El Rey? That
> would be the best option. The sugar in brownies acts as much more than a
> sweetener, so lessening the sugar may produce tasty brownies, but not the
> same brownies, with the same texture. The sugar contributes to the
> chewy/fudgy texture, and that's why brownies have so much!
>
> kimberly
>
>

Well - I have been to several of the local grocery stores (I haven't
tried TJ's yet...don't know if they sell unsweetened) and haven't found
anything but the Baker's stuff...

May just have to find an on line source...just to see how good brownies
can get!


Oh and thanks for the sugar explanation about the brownies - I am always
looking to expand my knowledge...I grew up in a house where Mac'n'Cheese
from a box was high living. I am now trying to catch up loll

Roberta (in VA)

Chris wrote:
> "Pan Ohco" > wrote in message
> ...
>
>>On Thu, 23 Feb 2006 15:33:44 GMT, Chris wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>>> I was going to pit Barb's brownies against Anne Bourget's brownies
>>>(they were the gold standard around rfc many, many moons ago) and
>>>Hershey's
>>>Deep Dish cocoa brownies (these would lose, but the kids like them).
>>>Maybe
>>>we'll do that this weekend!
>>>
>>>Chris
>>>
>>
>>Thanks folks, I have been doing low carb, and now I'm missing Barb's
>>brownies. They are the best that I have tasted , but I would be
>>interested in the competition.
>
>
> I made the Deep Dish ones recently because I needed to find a "tall" brownie
> recipe for my daughter's birthday (she doesn't like cake, but loves
> brownies...and yet a thin, flat pan of brownies looks so wimpy w/ candles in
> it). I had remembered that recipe as being cakey, but discovered that with
> judicious underbaking, they were moist and gooey inside, with a crackly top
> crust -- very tasty and not cakey. Not as fudgey as some, but very, very
> good. But the proof is in the pudding...I want to try them next to each
> other. Figured that Anne's brownies (which won my early 90's brownie
> bakeoff) would be fun to try again, too.
>
> Will let you know my results -- I don't know when I'm going to try this.
> Probably when I have enough tasters around so that I don't gobble up all the
> brownies by myself!
>
> Chris


Here's my brownie recipe. They are definitely fudgy rather than cakey;
They rise during baking, but then fall as they cool because there is
so much butter and sugar for the little bit of flour. If I wanted them
taller, I would make a triple recipe and bake in a 9x13" pan, but I
would do a test batch first to see how long they'd need to cook. I
usually make a triple batch and bake in a 4 litre (10x14"?) pyrex
lasagna pan. HTH :-)


Bob's Brownies
(adapted from recipe in Better Homes & Gardens Cookbook)

1/3 C cocoa
1/2 C flour
1 C sugar
1/2 C salted butter or margarine
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 C chopped nuts

Peheat oven to 325°. Sift dry ingredients into mixing bowl. Add
remaining ingredients and beat well. Bake in greased 8x8x2" pan for 35
minutes.

Original recipe called for 2 squares unsweet baking chocolate and (I
think) 1/3 C butter instead of 1/2 C.

This recipe triples well, baked in a 4 quart lasagna pan, or doubles in
a 9x13" pan.

In article >,
Melba's Jammin' > wrote:
>In article <wDiLf.68895$bF.18533@dukeread07>,
> Roberta > wrote:
>
>> I really want to make these....
>>
>> I know that she (you) use the schneakldjfklberger (something like
>> that*G*) chocolate. I can only find sweetened stuff locally...Is it
>> possible to use, perhaps bittersweet and just reduce the amount of sugar?
>>
>> In case someone else would like to venture a guess...the recipe calls
>> for 4 oz unsweetened chocolate and 2 cups of sugar.....
>>
>> My other option is to use a "sub-par" baking chocolate.
>>
>> What would you do?
>>
>> Roberta (in VA)
>
>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.

Barb, I am surprised! I thought you used Ghirardelli unsweetened (which
comes in a very convenient 4 oz bar, unlike the Scharffen Berger, which is
a 100 g (3 oz) bar).

I always use the Ghirardelli and everybody loves them . I might use
Scharffen Berger bittersweet (and cut the sugar) if I felt like it, but
the Ghirardelli makes a mighty fine brownie!

Charlotte
--

In article >,
(Charlotte L. Blackmer) wrote:

> In article >,
> Melba's Jammin' > wrote:
> >In article <wDiLf.68895$bF.18533@dukeread07>,
> > Roberta > wrote:
> >
> >> I really want to make these....
> >>
> >> I know that she (you) use the schneakldjfklberger (something like
> >> that*G*) chocolate. I can only find sweetened stuff locally...Is it
> >> possible to use, perhaps bittersweet and just reduce the amount of sugar?
> >>
> >> In case someone else would like to venture a guess...the recipe calls
> >> for 4 oz unsweetened chocolate and 2 cups of sugar.....
> >>
> >> My other option is to use a "sub-par" baking chocolate.
> >>
> >> What would you do?
> >>
> >> Roberta (in VA)
> >
> >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.
>
> Barb, I am surprised! I thought you used Ghirardelli unsweetened (which
> comes in a very convenient 4 oz bar, unlike the Scharffen Berger, which is
> a 100 g (3 oz) bar).
>
> I always use the Ghirardelli and everybody loves them . I might use
> Scharffen Berger bittersweet (and cut the sugar) if I felt like it, but
> the Ghirardelli makes a mighty fine brownie!
>
> Charlotte
> --

The only time I *might* ever have used a Ghirardelli bar would have been
if someone had given one to me. What I -have- used is the Guittard Oban
wafers from Bakers C & C in Salt Lake City:
http://www.bakerscandc.com/index.php?page=002&cat=006
Their order form is kind of tricky and I've always ordered by phone
besides. Nice people. $15.75 for 5#, plus shipping.
--
http://www.jamlady.eboard.com, updated 2-19-2006, Yummy! and church review. :-)