While these brownies are not a super old family recipe, they hold an importance to me and my family. They have easily become one of our favorite treats for any occasion, formal or casual. While everyone in my family, except the old people, can’t cook meals for the life of us, one thing we can do is bake. So if you’re looking for a creamy chocolatey brownie to enjoy, then this is the recipe for you.
My grandma got the recipe in June of 2008, 10 days before I was born. But this story starts sometime in late may. Weeks before she was having some problems with her uterus, and when it started bleeding, she knew something was wrong. So she had decided to get it checked out at a doctors. Grandma continued her life as normal, helping prepare for her daughter's new baby, until she got the awaited call. Unknowing to the news that was going to be told to her she went back to the doctor's office. The doctor had done some tests and found out she had uterus cancer. A retired nurse who used to work with grandma worked part-time for her doctor, so she knew what news was going to be told and worrily waited for my grandma. After hearing the news she had made sure that grandma was okay before she went home. Grandma was worried. She was just about to get a second grandchild and wanted to watch them grow up. She was worried that wouldn’t be the reality. My grandma and her friend saw each other once more before the surgery to try to recover from the cancer. Grandma had mentioned to her friend just how much she loved her brownies whenever she got to eat them during potlucks and lunches, and asked for her recipe. It was a recipe that only some members of her friend's family had known. ‘For you, I’ll give it,’ were the words said at that moment. After that conversation the surgery went well. Grandma was elated that she would get to watch the family continue to grow. Later, my grandma had started to make the brownies and everyone loved them. The chocolate icing she used to pair with the brownies was one her mom always used for baking, and now she was using it. Both the icing and brownies were easy to make and perfect for any occasion. Her newborn granddaughter, her 3 year old granddaughter, and her -2 year old grandson all ended up really enjoying these brownies in the future (I love them so much I could eat them for hours). Grandma was really determined to continue living to watch her grandchildren grow up. Thankfully, she beat the cancer and is still alive to this day. My grandma fought very hard to see me here today and the brownies are a sign of how hard she fought and how much love she holds for her family. Grandma’s brownies were always my favourite growing up, and will definitely continue to be a favorite among family and friends. They are the start of a recipe that will be passed down for generations to come. Grandma says every time she makes them it reminds her of how lucky she was to live and watch me grow up to be who I am today. And everytime I eat them, they remind me of all of the great times I’ve had with my grandma throughout the years and how lucky I am to have her. |
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Ingredients (Brownies)
- 12 tbsp of cocoa - ½ lb (2 cups) of butter or margarine - 2 cups of sugar - 1 cup of flour - 2 tsp of baking powder - 1 tsp of vanilla - A pinch of salt - 4 eggs Directions - Preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit for glass pans and 375° for metal pans. - Add the cocoa and butter into a pot and heat on a stove until melted together. - Remove the pot from the heat. - Add the sugar and mix it in so it can melt while the mixture is hot. - Add the flour & baking powder and mix again. - Add the vanilla, salt, and eggs and mix. - Pour batter evenly into the pan(s) and let bake for 20 mins or until a toothpick comes out clean. Make sure the pans are greased (best greased with shortening) and cover the pan with flour after greased. It’s important to add the ingredients in the order said above to avoid certain ingredients creating a chemical reaction, thus making the brownies not rise as well. |
Ingredients (Chocolate Icing)
- 60g or 2 oz of unsweetened melted chocolate - 3 tbsp of butter - 3 cups of icing sugar - ⅛ tsp of salt - ⅓ cup of milk - 1 tsp of vanilla Directions - Melt chocolate and butter together at medium-medium low heat in the microwave for 2mins. - Slowly mix all ingredients until it's an icing consistency. - Let sit until it's thicker. - Spread on brownies once they’ve cooled. |