Greenwich Village Brownies

Submitted by: jej
Last Updated: 3/11/2005

This recipe comes from "Maida Heatter's Book of Great Cookies." She says, "These are a specialty of a New York City pastry shop. It is a recipe with a large yield (32 large brownies). The Brownies are moist, fudgy, and extra-chewy -- almost like chocolate caramels."

2 c. unsifted flour (she underlines 'un')
1/4 t. salt
6 oz (squares) unsweetened chocolate
1/2 lb. (2 sticks) butter
1 t. vanilla
2 c. granulated sugar
1 c. light brown sugar (firmly packed)
2/3 c. light corn syrup
6 eggs
10 oz (3 c.) pecan halves or large pieces

1. Adjust a rack one-third up from the bottom of the oven and preheat to 350ý. Grease a 15 1/2 by 10 1/2 by 1 inch jelly-roll pan. Line it with a large piece of wax paper, butter the paper, and dust it lightly all over with flour. Invert the pan to shake out excess flour.

2. Measure the flour before sifting, then sift it together with the salt and set aside. Melt the cholate in the top of a small double boiler over hot water on moderate heat. Stir until smooth, remove the top of the double boiler, and set aside.

3. In the large bowl of an electric mixer cream the butter. Add the vanilla and the granulated and brown sugars. Beat to mix well. Add the corn syrup and beat until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until smooth after each addition. Beat in the melted chocolate. On low speed, gradually add the flour, scraping the bowl as necessary with a rubber spatula and beating until smoothly mixed. Stir in 2 cups (reserve 1 cup) of the pecans.

4. Turn the mixture into the prepared pan and spread to make a smooth layer. (The pan will be filled to the top.) Sprinkle the reserved 1 cup pecans over the top.

5. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until a toopick inserted at the center of the cake comes out clean but not dry.

6. Cool in the pan for 30 minutes Then cover with a large rack or cookie sheet and invert. Remove the pan and the wax paper. Cover with a large rack and invert again, leaving the cake right side up to cool completely.

7. The cake will be easier to cut if it is chilled first; place it in the freezer or refrigerator until it is quite firm. Or cover the cake wiht aluminum foil or plastic wrap and let it stand overnight at room temperature.

8. Slide the cake onto a cutting board. Use a long, thin, sharp knife or firmly serrated one to cut it into 32 bars. (See Note.)

9. Wrap the Brownies individually in clear cellophane or wax paper, or store them in an airtight freezer box.

NOTE: If there are any burnt edges on the cake they should be cut off. Cut the cake into quarters and place the quarters upside down on the board to trim the edges. Then turn the cake right side up again for cutting into bars.