Rocky Road Brownies

Here it is - my guilty pleasure (well one of them at least). 

They are heavenly wicked.

They are my BFF and my worst enemy.

I have happy thoughts and naughty dreams about these. 

I first got this recipe from a friend back in high school who thought she'd sold her birthright by sharing the family secret as she slipped me the 3 x 5 card incognito in the back halls of WX High.  Bless her heart, as it turns out I've seen this recipe everywhere since.

I love this recipe because I always have cocoa on hand, but not always other forms of chocolate like other recipes call for. This is a double recipe ( I haven't made a single batch of anything for years), but they freeze really well and rumor has it there's nothing better than a semi-frozen brownie removed from the freezer at 2:00 in the morning  - not that I have done that, of course.

Rocky Road Brownies

4 squares butter (2 cups), melted (I just do this on low in a saucepan rather than the microwave - it dirties the same amount of dishes and I don't have an atomic butter explosion - which is a given)
4 cups sugar
8 eggs - (room temp is best if you have enough time)

Mix together and add:

3 cups flour
1 cups cocoa
1 T vanilla
1/2 t. salt
nuts if you want them

Spray a large baking pan (twice as big as a 9 x 13) with cooking spray.  Spread in batter in evenly and baked in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30-35 minutes.  Right now, my perfect bake time is 34 minutes.  Adjust accordingly if you lick half the batter.

Let cool and frost.  I dumped the original frosting recipe and made my own. It's super rich, and you could easily scale back but why? You can have salad tomorrow.

Over the years, we done many things on top.  Everything from a delicate sifting of powdered sugar to a mint buttercream with a high gloss ganache top coat.  It's all good and you can't go wrong.

Rona's Fudgy Frosting

3 squares melted butter
3/4 - 1 cup cocoa
2 lbs. powdered sugar (that'd be a big bag)
half and half (I probably used around a cup)
2 T vanilla
1/2 bag mini marshmallows

Add cocoa to the melted butter and whisk until blended.  Mix with remaining ingredients except mallows, using enough half and half to make a smooth but not-too-thick texture.  Beat until smooth and creamy.   Add about 1/2 bag mini marshmallows to the frosting gently and spread on cooled brownies.  If you haven't stuck your finger in this at least once by now, there's something wrong with you and you need help.

For easier cutting, chill in the fridge for a few hours. 

Note:  If you are using a cookie sheet with sides, you may want to decrease to 7 eggs and 3 3/4 cup sugar to prevent a nasty boil over that will leave you swearing like a sailor. 

Also, not all cocoa is created equal.  Western Family looks like nice beachy sand and won't be as rich and decadent as Hershey's.

Furthermore, if you sub the butter for margarine, we can no longer be friends.  It will taste like  chocolate baked motor oil.

Go ahead and squeal like a school girl.

What.?.?  

Posted by: Rona