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I can't remember which brownie mix I like - I know I started buying the one that is Milk Chocolate flavor and then I add chocolate chips....
A trick I learned from my mom - whenever making any baked goods from a mix - 1 teaspoon of REAL vanilla - not vanilla flavoring- will make the flavor Pop!!! cake mix, brownies, just freshens the flavor.
Brownies are trivial. Why would you use a box? I use the Bakers Chocolate recipe. From memory: nuke 4 oz of chocolate and a stick and a half of butter until the butter melts. Stir. Add a cup of sugar and a splash of vanilla. I use Penzeys double strength. Stir in 2 or 3 eggs. Add flour. Cover a rectangular Pyrex dish with foil. Spray oil on the foil. Dump in the batter. Bake.
They recently shrank the Bakers Chocolate box from 8 oz to 4 oz so it’s now a whole box. Other than that, the recipe hasn’t changed in 75 years. Most box brownies are way too cake-y for me.
I've noticed that a lot of Internet cooking sites say that's it's easier to get a good brownie from a box than from scratch. Brownies are unusual that way.
Well the following recipe is far superior to all box mixes if you like a FUDGY brownie. Only 7 ingredients and literally takes 5 minutes longer to prepare than a mix. This is prepared in one bowl, like boxed mix.
-6 Ounce unsweetened baking chocolate
-1 Cup salted butter, softened
-4 large eggs
-2 Cup granulated sugar
-1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
-1/2 Cup all-purpose flour
-1 Cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Directions:
-Melt unsweetened baking chocolate and butter over the top half of a double boiler set over hot water (or nuke in a microwaveable bowl like GeoffD). Remove from heat and stir until completely melted.
-Stir sugar into the chocolate/butter mixture
-Beat in the eggs thoroughly
-Stir in vanilla
-Add the flour and mix thoroughly.
-Pour batter into greased 9" x 13" baking pan. 8" X 8" pan will work too, but may need to bake longer. Smooth with a spatula. Sprinkles chocolate chips on top.
-Bake on the center rack at 300* F for 45-55 minutes. A clean toothpick placed in the center of the brownies indicates they are done. Do not overbake.
-Cool to room temperature, cover and place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 1 hour. Cut into 2" squares and serve chilled.
**Inspired by the following recipe, Mrs Field Brownie Copycat
I liked the ones w/ the little chocolate morsels in them, not chips, but they don't sell them anymore where I shop. I make them rarely. They were Duncan Hines or Pillsbury, but really good.
Well the following recipe is far superior to all box mixes if you like a FUDGY brownie. Only 7 ingredients and literally takes 5 minutes longer to prepare than a mix. This is prepared in one bowl, like boxed mix.
-6 Ounce unsweetened baking chocolate
-1 Cup salted butter, softened
-4 large eggs
-2 Cup granulated sugar
-1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
-1/2 Cup all-purpose flour
-1 Cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Directions:
-Melt unsweetened baking chocolate and butter over the top half of a double boiler set over hot water (or nuke in a microwaveable bowl like GeoffD). Remove from heat and stir until completely melted.
-Stir sugar into the chocolate/butter mixture
-Beat in the eggs thoroughly
-Stir in vanilla
-Add the flour and mix thoroughly.
-Pour batter into greased 9" x 13" baking pan. 8" X 8" pan will work too, but may need to bake longer. Smooth with a spatula. Sprinkles chocolate chips on top.
-Bake on the center rack at 300* F for 45-55 minutes. A clean toothpick placed in the center of the brownies indicates they are done. Do not overbake.
-Cool to room temperature, cover and place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 1 hour. Cut into 2" squares and serve chilled.
**Inspired by the following recipe, Mrs Field Brownie Copycat
Yep. Pretty much the same recipe as on the Bakers Chocolate box but scaled up from 4 oz of chocolate to 6 oz. I think the Bakers recipe has a bit more flour proportionally. The key is enough butter to get a scolding from your cardiologist. The chocolate chips on top would never happen in my house. The bag would be eaten long before the brownies ever got baked.
Brownies are trivial. Why would you use a box? I use the Bakers Chocolate recipe. From memory: nuke 4 oz of chocolate and a stick and a half of butter until the butter melts. Stir. Add a cup of sugar and a splash of vanilla. I use Penzeys double strength. Stir in 2 or 3 eggs. Add flour. Cover a rectangular Pyrex dish with foil. Spray oil on the foil. Dump in the batter. Bake.
They recently shrank the Bakers Chocolate box from 8 oz to 4 oz so it’s now a whole box. Other than that, the recipe hasn’t changed in 75 years. Most box brownies are way too cake-y for me.
But mine were not remotely cakey. They were fudgy and perfect as I already said.
You are given a choice on boxed brownies to make them fudgy or cakey, and you adjust the measurements accordingly. I chose fudgy. Did you even read my initial post?
I could not have made any from scratch that would have been better than these. That's why I started a whole thread on the product. It was that good.
Brownies are trivial. Why would you use a box? I use the Bakers Chocolate recipe. From memory: nuke 4 oz of chocolate and a stick and a half of butter until the butter melts. Stir. Add a cup of sugar and a splash of vanilla. I use Penzeys double strength. Stir in 2 or 3 eggs. Add flour. Cover a rectangular Pyrex dish with foil. Spray oil on the foil. Dump in the batter. Bake.
They recently shrank the Bakers Chocolate box from 8 oz to 4 oz so it’s now a whole box. Other than that, the recipe hasn’t changed in 75 years. Most box brownies are way too cake-y for me.
Eh.
Ghirardelli are box contents, an egg, a splash of water and 1/3 c. oil or melted butter. Boom, done, no muss, no fuss. They're chewy (I hate cake and cakelike brownies), and as good as, if not better, than scratch. That's why to use a box. That particular one, anyway.
Location: By the sea, by the sea, by the beautiful sea
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Shooting Stars
What is your favorite boxed brownie mix?
I usually buy a Ghirardelli mix. Well, I saw a box of Duncan Hines Decadent California Walnut Brownie Mix and bought it on a whim. They have a whole line under the "Decadent" label apart from their regular brownie mixes.
Good call on these! Pretty good brownies. I think the next time I make them I may substitute coffee'espresso for the water as I wouldn't be opposed to cutting the sweetness just a bit.
Good call on these! Pretty good brownies. I think the next time I make them I may substitute coffee'espresso for the water as I wouldn't be opposed to cutting the sweetness just a bit.
I didn't find them too sweet, but your idea sounds wonderful!!!
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