Milk Chocolate Brownies

Last week, I had a dream that I was in a foodstore. I casually glanced through the boxes of pasta, cans of tomatoes, and jars of pickles, until I came upon the fresh vegetable section. A crowd of people surrounded one particular stand, and when I got closer, I found out why: instead of zuchini, there were pans of freshly baked brownies filling the stand. Working my way to the front, I reached out, grabbing as many brownies as I could. They all tasted pretty good, but this one in particular was amazing. I called out "What brownie is this?" They said its a milk chocolate brownie. And so it was. It was chewy, but not too chewy, cakey, but not too cakey, sweet, yet savory, and filled with chunks of milk chocolatey goodness. It was heaven. And so today, I attempt to recreate that heaven, and to bake my first milk chocolate brownie.

Milk Chocolate Brownies*

Materials:

1 1/2 quart heavy saucepan
8 inch square baking pan
oven
stove
spoon
1, 1/2, and 1/4 cup measurers
1 tbsp, 1/2 tsp, and 1/4 tsp measurers
optional:
electric beater
ruber spatula
wooden skewer
sift

Ingredients:

1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
8 oz (1 1/2 cups) good quality milk chocolate chips (or chunks, or chopped pieces)
3/4 cups packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder

How to make it:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F, grease 8x8 baking pan
2. Melt butter and 1/2 the chocolate (4 oz, or 3/4 cups) in the 1 1/2 quart saucepan on low, stirring until smooth
3. Remove from heat, and cool to lukewarm
4. Stir in brown sugar and vanilla
5. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, until batter is glossy and smooth
6. Sift in baking powder and cocoa powder (to get rid of any lumps) and add flour and salt
7. Stir until well combined
8. Stir in the rest of the chocolate
9. Spread batter into prepared pan and bake until the wooden skewer comes out with a few moist crumbs (about 30 minutes)
10. Enjoy

How they turned out:

We decided to try them refrigerated, like what other comments said, but everyone agrees that they would be a lot better warm. When you first bite in, it seems like a regular brownie, but then the distinct milk chocolate flavor comes out. Alex votes: "Make it again!" and rates it 9/10 cold, and 10/10 warm. Anna says: "Sure." and rates it 8/10 as is. Tamsin says: "Yeah! Of course!" and gives it a full 10/10. Mom likes it, Dad likes it, both Maddy and her parents like it. Seems like yeah, sure, of course I'll make it again :)

*original recipe found on www.epicurious.com