By her own estimation my sister P. has made this recipe about 100 times. In other words, most of the people living in Lanark County have had exposure to Texas Brownies. The recipe is derived from a series called Great American Recipes; it makes a lot of brownies, which makes this recipe useful for a potluck. People love them. I say it is because of the coffee; P. says it is the pinch of cinnamon that makes them irresistible.
For one 17.5 by 11 inch pan or 48 brownies you will need:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup of strongly brewed coffee
1/4 cup dark, unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
pinch of cinnamon
For the icing:
1/2 cup butter
2 tablespoons cocoa
1/4 cup milk
3.5 cups of unsifted powdered sugar, also known as icing sugar
1 teaspoon
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and the sugar.In a heavy saucepan, combine the butter, shortening, coffee and cocoa. Stir and heat to boiling. Pour boiling mixture over the flour and sugar in the bowl. Stir to cool somewhat, then add the eggs, buttermilk, baking soda, vanilla and cinnamon. Mix well. Pour into a well-buttered jelly-roll pan and bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until the brownies 'test done' in the centre.(Place a toothpick into the brownies, if it comes out clean they are done, but if the toothpick is covered in batter, they require more baking).Prepare the frosting while the brownies are baking. In a saucepan, combine the butter, cocoa and milk. Heat to boiling while stirring. Mix in the icing sugar and vanilla until the frosting is smooth. Pour the warm frosting over the brownies as soon as you take them out of the oven.
Additional Notes that may be of use:
- a jelly roll pan is like a cookie sheet with edges about 1 inch high
- if you don't have buttermilk, you can use 2 tsp. vinegar or lemon juice in 1/2 cup of milk to create something similar.
As you may recall, Nephew #2 is attending an out-of-province university this year. I think he may need more chocolate. Get ready to receive some Texas Brownies in your corral there Cowboy; they're coming your way.
