The history of brownies
You have been following brownie brag now for a few weeks and have hopefully been trying our recipes, but do you know the story behind the humble brownie?
Brownies were developed in Chicago in the US in the early 1900’s when a customer at the Palmer House Hotel requested a “dessert for ladies attending the fair”. The request was for a cake like dessert that could be eaten from boxed lunches. These first brownies featured an apricot glaze and walnuts, and are still served in the hotel to the original recipe. The earliest published brownie recipes appeared in cookbooks in 1904.
Today’s brownie is a flat, baked square with a texture that is a cross between a cake and a cookie. Brownies can be fudgy or cakey and can contain nuts, frosting, chocolate chips, fruit or other ingredients and can even be made into adults only versions with the inclusion of alcohol, like our Chocolate Stout Brownie. They can be served warm with cream or ice-cream or can be eaten cold as a treat with a cup of tea or coffee.
Brownies were developed in Chicago in the US in the early 1900’s when a customer at the Palmer House Hotel requested a “dessert for ladies attending the fair”. The request was for a cake like dessert that could be eaten from boxed lunches. These first brownies featured an apricot glaze and walnuts, and are still served in the hotel to the original recipe. The earliest published brownie recipes appeared in cookbooks in 1904.
Today’s brownie is a flat, baked square with a texture that is a cross between a cake and a cookie. Brownies can be fudgy or cakey and can contain nuts, frosting, chocolate chips, fruit or other ingredients and can even be made into adults only versions with the inclusion of alcohol, like our Chocolate Stout Brownie. They can be served warm with cream or ice-cream or can be eaten cold as a treat with a cup of tea or coffee.
Brownies vs Blondies
Blondies are often confused with brownies and are sometimes referred to as blonde brownies. Unlike brownies, blondies do not contain cocoa or chocolate flavouring but use brown sugar instead. They may contain chocolate chips, coconut, toffee or nuts and may have a butterscotch taste due to the absence of cocoa.
Whether your preference is for a brownie or a blondie perhaps you could help us to solve the internal Brownie Brag debate: Are the best brownies dense and fudgey, or crumbly and earthily chocolatey? Let us know what you think......
Whether your preference is for a brownie or a blondie perhaps you could help us to solve the internal Brownie Brag debate: Are the best brownies dense and fudgey, or crumbly and earthily chocolatey? Let us know what you think......
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