Nostalgia is king right now. I think people hit a certain point in this self-isolation that makes them yearn for the way things were…even yearning for the way things were 10-20 years ago.
I’ve been going through old pictures and notes from my friends. I’ve been rewatching Gilmore Girls for the 100th time. I’m even looking up old web-based games I used to play in the early 2000’s (Lenny Loosejocks, anyone?). Those were simpler times and it’s nice to get lost in the nostalgia every now and then.
Nostalgia has even reigned my kitchen. From eating a box of Kraft Macaroni & Cheese for the first time in years, to making my own versions of my favorite Hamburger Helper meals—I’ve been turning to my memories for inspiration.
I’ve been trying to bake a lot more lately, too, but a lot of things haven’t turned out the way I had hoped. This recipe is one that *almost* was a disaster (and kind of a disaster to shoot pictures of) but was so needed for my soul that I had to make it. Brownies are one of those nostalgic kind of foods that will bring up a memory in every bite, and this recipe is no different.
This recipe hails from the great Katharine Hepburn. As the story goes, she was offended by the amount of flour used in a brownie she tasted once so she gave out this recipe. It only calls for 1/4 cup of flour (yes, you read that right!) and the brownies turn out to be perfectly gooey in every way. They really are the best incarnation of brownies you can have.
Mine were so delicate they fell apart while cutting them into squares. That’s okay, though, because they were still delightfully tasty.
Enjoy!
Katharine Hepburn's Brownies
Rich and gooey brownies perfect for brownie lovers.
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup cocoa
- 1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- pinch of salt
- Powdered sugar, for topping
Directions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a saucepan, melt butter. Stir in cocoa powder and remove from heat. Allow mixture to cool for a few minutes.
- Transfer cocoa-butter mixture to a large bowl and whisk in eggs. Stir in vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, sift sugar, flour and salt together. Add to the cocoa-butter mixture and stir until just combined.
- Grease a square 8×8 or small rectangle baking dish. Pour batter into pan and bake for 30-35 minutes. Let cool and then cut into bars.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a saucepan, melt butter. Stir in cocoa powder and remove from heat. Allow mixture to cool for a few minutes. Transfer cocoa-butter mixture to a large bowl and whisk in eggs. Stir in vanilla.
In a separate bowl, sift sugar, flour and salt together.
Add to the cocoa-butter mixture and stir until just combined.
Grease a square 8×8 or small rectangle baking dish. Pour batter into pan and bake for 30-35 minutes. Let cool and then cut into bars.
