Brownie Tidbits

We all have a soft spot for brownies. So here are some interesting information about it.

The first brownie was believed to be made in America. Some suggest and claim that it was originally from New England at the beginning of the 20th century.

Despite its being cake-like and being baked in a cake pan, brownies are considered as bar cookies instead of a cake.

Brownies can either be “cake-style” or “fudge-style”. Cake-style is that with the consistency of a cake, but with a thicker consistency. While, fudge-style is more like, yes, fudge than cake. It is the richer, denser, and creamier version of the brownie. The style of brownie is determined by the ratio of flour to chocolate and/or cocoa.

It goes without saying that brownie got its name from its dark brown color. But as expected, the origin of the “brownie” is covered in myth and stories that make all of us wonder which one is the real deal. One of the stories told is that a chef accidentally added melted chocolate to the batch of biscuits he was baking. Another one claims that a cook was baking a cake but had inadequate amounts of flour but baked it anyway, thus, making a brownie.

However, the most famous legend states that a housewife in Bangor, Maine, who was making a chocolate cake, forgot to add baking powder. When the cake didn’t rise, she just cut it and served pieces of the flat cake.

On the other hand, some state that the first known published recipe appeared in the Sears, Roebuck Catalogue in 1897, but that was a recipe for a molasses candy only called brownies. Nowadays, brownies are baked with either cocoa or melted chocolate or a combination of both.

Although the first few brownie recipes were published and modification to the recipe started in the beginning of the 20th century, it wasn’t until the 1920s that brownies became a well-loved treat in the department of baked chocolate goods. It still holds true today.

More Chocolate Information Articles