Helen "Brownie" Schrumpf's Brownies

This recipe has the exact same proportions and ingredients as the recipe used by the woman who supposedly "invented" brownies. According to legend, she left the leavening out of her chocolate cake one day, and the cake did not rise, she tried the cake anyway, and thus were brownies born. The best part about this recipe is that you simply use one pot to mix the whole thing, only one dish (aside from your baking dish) gets dirtied.

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 12

Ingredients

• 8  tablespoons butter
• 1  cup cocoa powder or 4  ounces bittersweet chocolate
• 2  cups sugar
• 4  eggs
• 2  teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 3⁄4 cup  chopped walnuts or 3⁄4 cup pecans (optional)
• 1  cup flour

Directions

1. In a 1 quart or larger saucepan, over low heat, melt the butter.
2. If you are using chocolate, melt the chocolate with the butter.
3. If you are using cocoa powder, stir it into the melted butter with a wooden spoon.
4. Add the sugar and stir.
5. Using the same wooden spoon, add the eggs, one at a time, stirring until incorporated before adding the next.
6. Stir in the remaining ingredients until a smooth batter forms.
7. Put batter into a 13X9 pan (I use a nonstick metal pan) and bake at 350 Fahrenheit for 30 to 35 mins, or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
8. Let cool before cutting.