The History of Brownies

By Joey Prats

I have yet to meet a human being who dislikes brownies. Men and women, young and old, from all walks
of life, have their own idea of what a perfect brownie should be. Some like it cakey, others fudgy. There
are those who like it thin, and there are those who prefer it “deep dish.” But everyone agrees that it should
scream CHOCOLATE! No wonder this original American confection has gained worldwide popularity.
What once could only be found in bakeshops across the United States of America is now widespread and
fills the shelves of almost every purveyor of sweet treats in all continents of the globe, including the most
high-end pâtisseries in Paris. Even the great French pastry chef Pierre Hermé has his own recipe for
moist, fudgy brownies!

As with most foods, the history of the brownie remains unclear. Unlike Ruth Wakefield’s Chocolate Chip
Cookies or Franz Sacher’s Sachertorte, whose origins are well documented and are forever etched in the
annals of gastronomy, the birth of the brownie is one that is shrouded in mystery. So, I decided to do a
little digging of my own.

When Brownies Were Not Brownies

No one can say exactly when brownies came to be, but my research yielded the following data. The
earliest recipe that bears the name “brownies” appeared in the 1896 edition of The Boston Cooking-
School Cook Book, edited by one of America’s greatest cookbook authors, Fannie Merritt Farmer. A
reprint of this book can still be purchased at Amazon.com. That recipe, however, was for a cookie-type
confection that was colored and flavored with molasses and made in fluted marguerite molds. In 1897, a
recipe for “brownies” also appeared in the Sears, Roebuck & Co. Catalogue. It was a recipe for a brown
molasses candy with a nut in the center. The name honored the elfin characters featured in popular
books, stories, cartoons, and verses at the time by Palmer Cox; the Eastman Kodak Brownie Camera
was also named after these elves.

The 1896 Boston Cooking-School Cook Book by Fannie
Merritt Farmer featured the first known recipe for
“brownies”, but it was for a cookie-type confection that
was colored and flavored with molasses and made in
fluted marguerite molds.
The 1897 Sears, Roebuck & Co. Catalogue featured the
second known recipe for “brownies”. This time, it was for
a brown molasses candy with a nut in the center. The
name honored the elfin characters created by Palmer
Cox.

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It was not until 1906 when the earliest published recipe for brownies (as we know brownies today), was
seen in the pages of The 1906 Boston Cooking-School Cook Book by Fannie Merritt Farmer. Her recipe
contains 2 squares of melted Baker’s chocolate…and is a less rich, less chocolaty version of today’s
brownies. According to the Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America, the proportions are similar
to Farmer’s 1896 chocolate cookie recipe, but with less flour and baked in a 7-inch square pan. For this
reason, Farmer can be called the inventor of the brownie.

A Woman Named Maria Willet Howard

The second known recipe for brownies appeared in the pages of the 1907 edition of Lowney’s Cook
Book, written by Maria Willett Howard and published by the Walter M. Lowney Company, a well-known
chocolate and candy manufacturer in the late 19th century to the early years of the 20th century. Howard
was, in fact, trained in the culinary arts by Fannie Merritt Farmer. Howard added an extra egg and an
extra square of Baker’s chocolate to Farmer’s recipe, creating a richer, more flavorful brownie called
Lowney’s Brownies.

The great American cookbook author, Fannie Merritt Farmer. The 1907 edition of Lowney’s Cook Book,
written by Maria Willett Howard.

In the same book, she writes of another brownie recipe called Bangor Brownies, wherein she added yet
another square of Baker’s chocolate, producing a darker, denser, and more decadent product closely
resembling present-day brownies. It is this recipe that spawned a legend cited in Betty Crocker's Baking
Classics and John Mariani’s The Encyclopedia of American Food and Drink, which tells of a housewife in
Bangor, Maine, who was making a chocolate cake but forgot to add baking powder. When her cake didn’t
rise properly, instead of tossing it out, she cut and served the flat pieces.

Through the early years of the 20th century, brownie recipes continued to evolve, generating numerous
adaptations and variations to suit one’s personal preferences. However, it was not until the 1920s when
the brownie became “the bee’s knees”* of baked chocolate treats, a position it holds to this day. It is said
that there are now as many brownie recipes as there are bakers.

* “The bee’s knees” is a Jazz Age idiom meaning something or someone considered extremely special. According to Mark
Israel of the University of Ottawa, 1920s U.S. slang had a slew of similar phrases with the same meaning, including, but
not limited to, “the cat's pajamas” and the less familiar “the eel’s ankle,” “the clam’s garter,” “the kipper’s knickers” and
“the sardine's whiskers.”

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 The Walter M. Lowney Company’s chocolate factory located in Massachusetts, where Maria Willett Howard worked.

Some Early Recipes

Recipe from The 1896 Boston Cooking-School Cookbook (page 424)

Recipe from the 1907 edition of Lowney’s Cook Book (page 261)

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 Recipe from the 1907 edition of Lowney’s Cook Book (page 265)

Recipe from The 1910 Boston Cooking-School Cook Book (page 495)

World-wide Appeal of Brownies in the 21st Century and Beyond

The brownie has come a long way since the first recipe was published in 1906. No other sweet treat in
the history of baking and pastry arts has gained global acceptance and market appeal like the brownie
has. It is a star in its own right and a tough act to follow. And it is not hard to see why this is so. Everyone
(well…almost everyone) loves chocolate and anything gooey, fudgy, chewy, and sweet. The brownie
represents different things to different people. To most, this cookie is a comfort food. To some, it is an
anti-depressant, and there are those who swear it’s an aphrodisiac! Whatever our reason is for loving
brownies, the fact is…we love it!

It is said that there are as many recipes for brownies as there are people baking them. Just look at some
of the world’s more popular and best-selling brownies on the next page. I have personally tried all of them
and there’s not one brownie I didn’t like. They are all sublime!

“The perfect brownie is a sensual experience that catapults you to a state of

unparalleled bliss…where the body, mind, and soul are swathed in a moment of
uncontrollable ecstasy!” – Chef Joey Prats

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Classic Fudge Brownie from Paul A. Young Fine Chocolates -
LONDON, ENGLAND An assortment of 12 brownie flavors from
Fairytale Brownies – ARIZONA, USA

Brownie assortment from Brownies Unlimited – MANILA, PHILIPPINES

Left: Brownies made from the recipe of French Pastry Chef Pierre Herme. Right: CHOCOLATE
DESSERTS by Pierre Herme, available at most bookstores and online merchants

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My Personal Recipe

Of course, this article would not be complete if I did not share my own recipe for brownies. This is the one
recipe I keep coming back to. It makes a deep dish brownie that is very rich, dense, and decadent. For
the brownie purists, simply omit the walnuts. Enjoy!

Walnut Fudge Brownies

I have tested dozens of brownie recipes in my kitchen, but none comes close to these ultimate chocolate
brownies! Rich, chewy, and intensely chocolate, these delectable cookies are truly irresistible. The
walnuts add a wonderful crunch and provide a pleasant contrast to the brownies’ smooth, fudgy texture.
For a sensational dessert, serve brownies with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce.

Makes sixteen cookies

Equipment

Conventional gas oven with the rack positioned in the center

20-centimeter (8-inch) square baking pan, 5-centimeter (2-inch) deep
Pastry brush
Parchment paper
Scissors (to cut parchment paper)
Weighing scale (if measuring ingredients by weight)
Measuring cup set (if measuring ingredients by volume)
Measuring spoon set (if measuring ingredients by volume)
Cutting board
Chef’s knife
Small heavy saucepan
Open burner gas range
Wooden spoon
Planetary mixer with a 4.75-liter (5-quart) bowl and a paddle attachment
Rubber spatula
Sieve
Kitchen timer
Cake tester or wooden pick
Small straight metal spatula
Cling wrap
Refrigerator

Pan Preparation

10 grams (2-1/4 teaspoons) unsalted butter, softened

10 grams (1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon) all-purpose flour

Ingredients

100 grams (3.5 ounces) unsweetened chocolate

150 grams (2/3 cup) unsalted butter
300 grams (1-1/2 cups) superfine sugar
150 grams (3 large) whole eggs
5 grams (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract
100 grams (3/4 cup + 1-1/2 tablespoons) all-purpose flour
200 grams (1-3/4 cups) walnuts, coarsely chopped

Procedure

1. Preheat the oven to 165 degrees Celsius (325 degrees Fahrenheit). Using the ingredients for pan
preparation, brush the insides of the baking pan with half of the softened unsalted butter. Line the
bottom with parchment paper. Brush the parchment paper with the remaining softened butter, and
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 then dust the insides of the baking pan with the all-purpose flour. Tap out any excess flour so that
only a very thin coating remains.
2. Combine the unsweetened chocolate and unsalted butter in the small heavy saucepan. Melt over low
heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is smooth.
3. Transfer the mixture to the mixer bowl and beat at low speed until it has cooled to room temperature.
Add the superfine sugar and beat until well blended.
4. Add the whole eggs one at a time, beating well and scraping the bowl after each addition. Stir in the
vanilla extract.
5. Sift the all-purpose flour onto a sheet of parchment paper, and then add it to the mixture in the mixer
bowl, beating just until the flour is blended in. Stir in the walnuts.
6. Scrape the batter into the prepared baking pan. Level the top. Bake for 50 minutes, or until a cake
tester or wooden pick inserted in the center of the brownies comes out with moist, fudgy crumbs. Do
not overbake.
7. Cool the brownies completely in the baking pan. Run the small straight metal spatula around the
inside edge of the baking pan to release the brownies. Unmold the brownies. Peel off the parchment
paper. Wrap the brownies in cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or until it is firm. Trim off 3
millimeters (1/8 inch) from each side of the brownies. Cut the brownies into sixteen squares.

Storage

Walnut fudge brownies keep well. Wrap each piece in cling wrap to preserve the moisture and prevent
them from drying out. They will keep for 3 days in the refrigerator, or 1 day at room temperature.

Pastry Chef’s Tips for Success

 Preheat the oven to the correct temperature.

 Use the correct size of baking pan.
 Use the best quality ingredients and weigh or measure them carefully.
 Have all ingredients at room temperature.
 When mixing the batter, maintain low speed at all times. Mixing at higher speeds tend to aerate the
batter, resulting in a more crumbly, less fudgy brownies.
 Mix the sifted flour into the batter just until it is blended in. Do not overmix, as the gluten in the flour
could develop, producing tough cookies.
 Check for correct doneness. Overbaking brownies will result in a hard, dry product.
 For the cleanest slices, chill brownies at least 4 hours before slicing and cut them while cold, using a
very sharp chef’s knife.

Sources

Articles
The History of Brownies
http://www.thenibble.com/reviews/main/cookies/cookies2/history-of-the-brownie.asp

Chocolate Brownie
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chocolate_brownie

Cake-Style or Fudgy? The History and Evolution of Brownies

http://ezinearticles.com/?Cake-Style-Or-Fudgy?-The-History-and-Evolution-of-Brownies&id=5154102

Images
The 1896 Boston Cooking-School Cookbook
http://www.amazon.com/gp/customer-media/product-gallery/0517186780/ref=cm_ciu_pdp_images_1?ie=UTF8&index=1

The 1897 Sears, Roebuck & Co. Catalogue

http://www.amazon.com/1897-Sears-Roebuck-Co-Catalogue/dp/1602390630/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1279326637&sr=8-1

Fannie Merritt Farmer

http://www.notablebiographies.com/Du-Fi/Farmer-Fannie.html

The 1907 Lowney’s Cookbook

http://vintagecookbooks.blogspot.com/2010_04_01_archive.html

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The Lowney Chocolate Factory
http://www.lowney.net/chocolates/factory.jpg

Classic Fudge Brownie from Paul A. Young Fine Chocolates

http://www.paulayoung.co.uk/creations/collection.php?collectionID=11

An Assortment of 12 Brownie Flavors from Fairytale Brownies

http://www.brownies.com/default.aspx

Brownie Assortment from B rownies Unlimited

http://www.brownies.com.ph/brownies/index.php

Brownies made from the recipe of French Pastry Chef Pierre Herme
http://seattlepastrygirl.blogspot.com/2010/02/in-pierre-herme-frame-of-mind.html

CHOCOLATE DESSERTS by Pierre Herme

http://www.amazon.com/Chocolate-Desserts-Pierre-Herme-Greenspan/dp/0316357413/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1315716118&sr=1-1

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