Budge’s Brownies
I grew up devouring the original version of Budge’s Brownies. They were known as “Carol Kaufman Brownies,” named for one of my mom’s closest friends who gave us the recipe. If memory serves me correctly, which is questionable at best, the recipe was actually created by someone else but as Carol shared it with us, in my eyes she deserves the kudos.
As I have mentioned in other postings, I did not cook when I first graduated from college and lived on my own. I owned a Cuisinart® and made tuna fish and brownies in it. Yup, that makes my stomach turn nowadays, too!
The brownies were always amazing, but I think my tastes changed a bit. I started finding that they were a tad too greasy for my liking. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE the mushy center of the brownies, yet there was just too much mushy center.
I was stumped and not sure how to fix this problem. One day I was at Hoffman’s Chocolates and the founder and then owner, Paul Hoffman, was there. I explained the challenge I was having with Carol’s Brownies, and he suggested cutting back on the butter.
He knew of what he was speaking! The brownies were perfect. The outer brownies were a bit cakier (but not dry) while the inner brownies were the delicious, chocolatey mushy consistency I love.
These became my go-to brownies. I have been told that there is something almost magical about them. When friends of mine were going through chemotherapy, their taste buds changed and often it was hard for them to taste the foods brought over. I remember my girlfriend, Gina Boner (who was one of my bridesmaids) experienced this. Gina was one of those incredibly hip, cool and gorgeous ladies who had her stuff together.
When Gina was first diagnosed with cancer, I started taking brownies over to her house. I would often times just drop them off and go, knowing she would eat what she could and her kids would inhale the rest. You see, Gina loved them, but her kids loved them even more. Gina’s son, Justin, a/k/a Budge, was an extremely particular eater. Even though his dad is a gourmet cook, Budge wouldn’t touch the fabulous meals on the table, preferring plain pasta instead. Yet, once the tray of brownies came into the house, he would pounce faster than a lion pouncing on his prey.
Budge loved the outside, cakier brownies. His sister, Lia, loved the mushy inside ones. I learned that it was better to bake the recipe for a larger pan so both kids would be the recipients of the kind of brownie they wanted. They were in such demand that they quickly became known as, you guessed it, Budge’s Brownies.
As the years continued to race by, Budge’s Brownies have made their way into care packages for college students, lunch boxes for campers and trays for the teachers’ lounges at the schools my kids attend. I see the happiness on the faces of those who eat them and think perhaps there is something very special about them. After all, who doesn’t want a little magic now and then.
| Budge's Brownies | | Print |
- 4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
- 12 tablespoons (1-1/2 sticks) Land-O-Lakes lightly salted butter
- 4 eggs
- pinch of salt
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- confectioner’s sugar for dusting
- Preheat oven to 300º. Grease and flour an 8” x 8” baking pan. Set aside.
- Microwave the chocolate and butter together until melted. Set aside.
- Whisk together the flour and baking powder. Set aside.
- Place eggs and pinch of salt in a mixing bowl. Mix on low speed for 20 seconds. Add sugar. Mix on low until combined. While the mixer is on, add ½ of the chocolate mixture. Combine. Add ½ of the flour mixture. Alternate again until the remaining chocolate and flour mixture have been thoroughly incorporated. Add vanilla.
- Pour into prepared pan and bake for 1 hour. Place on cooling rack and cool for 5 minutes. Take a very thin, sharp knife and cut into 16 or 20 brownies. Do not cut all the way through as the brownies are too hot, but if you do not partially cut at this point then you will have a crumbled top later on.
- Dust the top with confectioners’ sugar. Cool completely before cutting and serving.
- Betsy’s Tidbit:
- As the Boner household has a major conflict on what the true definition of the perfect brownie is (too mushy, too dry!) you will need to adjust the temperature accordingly. When I make the brownies for Budge I turn the oven to approximately 310º to 315º, which still allows his sister Lia to enjoy one or two mushy brownies from the center. When I make the brownies for Lia I turn the oven to approximately 285º to 290º which allows Budge to enjoy a couple of the outside brownies. May this be your biggest challenge on your search for perfection!!!
These are the most delicious brownies you will ever taste! Family members of mine have been foolish enough to challenge Betsy to a brownie bake-off, but it’s just not a fair contest. These are so good that they have truly nursed people in the hospital back to health (and definitely sustained the caregivers!).
Thanks Julie. The Cohen Clan is always up for a brownie bake-off, but with Budge’s Brownies, it really isn’t a fair challenge.
I’m not sure where you are getting your info, but good topic. I needs to spend some time learning more or understanding more. Thanks for wonderful information I was looking for this information for my mission.
Thanks Flossie for your feedback.
Dear Betsy, First of all, you have to know I do not bake. As proof of that, before I tried your brownies I had to buy new flour, chocolate, and baking powder, as the “use by” dates on mine were 2009 and 10. Anyway, your mom had sent me the recipe and I was game to try it yesterday. When I finished the prep, I discovered she had neglected to tell me how long they should cook. After a moment of panic, I went on your website (which I have bookmarked) and found your directions a little more complete than your mom’s. I did not beat the eggs with a pinch of salt for 20 seconds; I beat them to death. I also used a pyrex pan rather than metal. Here’s what happened: I cooked them exactly one hour. When I took them out, they were puffed up a good 2 inches in the middle like a pillow and the top had a slight crust. I poked gently with a sharp knife (according to your directions) intending to cut through just the top while they were hot. As I did this, the crust broke into many pieces (which I quickly ate) and which were delicious.) There was a lot of air, it seemed, between the crust and the cake part as the latter was pretty flat. (I tasted it and it, too, was delicious.) Anyway, as good as they tasted, they didn’t look so hot.,
I’d love to know if the problem was the pyrex pan, the overbeaten eggs, my convection oven, or just ME. I know it wasn’t the recipe. What’s your guess?
Betsy, I love your website and maybe you’ll even make a baker out of me. One suggestion: you need a column called “Baking for Dummies.”
Love,
Barbara
Barbara, you are cracking me up! As I have known you my entire life, I can say without hesitation that you will never need a “for Dummies” book on anything. Perhaps a ‘Helpful Hints’ book would come in handy here and there.
A couple of things to tweak for next time as I think the problem was that your brownies were overbaked. When using a pyrex pan vs. a metal pan, you will need to adjust either your oven temperature or your timing. I think it is easier to adjust the temperature. Bake the brownies at 275° instead of 300° for 1 hour.
Also, if you are baking the brownies in a convection oven, they will bake more quickly. I bake all of my cakes using the conventional oven setting. If you have the choice of settings, as I have with mine, select ‘bake’ rather than ‘convection bake’ or words to that effect. If you do not have a choice of oven settings, then reduce your bake time or else the brownies will be overbaked. As a general rule, baking with the convection setting reduces the baking time by 25-30%.
Lastly, I think you made a very wise choice by eating the topped crunchies off. It is exactly what I would have done. There have been times in my house, if my kids get to the cut brownies before I have a chance to transfer them from the pan, I have come back to the kitchen to find my brownies are void of a top crust. Never a problem as I can just reapply the confectioners sugar, just a bummer because they beat me to it.
I hope this helps. I know you will be baking incredible brownies very soon!
Love,
Betsy
Thanks for your tips! i can use convection or regular setting and i will use a metal pan. With regular setting and metal pan, it sounds like 1 hour at 300 is right. With convection I should cook 45 minutes. Right? I’ll try again soon. (I have to with my investment in flour, chocolate, and basking powder. I may even splurge for new vanilla as mine has to be ancient.)
By the way, do you ever use non-stick pans for baking?
Love,
Barbara
Barbara,
You are correct. When you set your oven to conventional baking, bake the brownies in a metal pan for 1 hour at 300°. The convection should be about 45 minutes.
I have some non-stick pans, but I still grease them before putting the batter in.
You absolutely should give it another shot. After all, why let your investment sit? Unlike (or perhaps right now, just like) our money, these ingredients will not appreciate over time.
Love,
Betsy
What a pleasure. This evening I made these to take as a gift tomorrow. In the past I would have found it much easier to go out and buy some type of baked good for such an occasion. Instead, I followed your directions and they were in the oven within 25 minutes from start to finish (I’m still slower than you; but getting better). Of course I had to taste just one. It was so fudgy and delicious and, “Huge,” and I’ll say in all modesty, or lack thereof, the best brownie I have ever eaten. Oh, yes, the powdered sugar did, indeed, cover up the crust that I managed to crack in cutting! They are beautiful. Thank you.
Thank you for your feedback M. I have found that baking hostess gifts is so much more personal and very much appreciated.