Katharine Hepburn’s Brownies

In honor of Oscars night, love Mimi:

Advice from Katherine:

1. Never quit.
2. Be yourself.
3. Don’t put too much flour in your brownies.  

Enjoy this simple and sweet treat in honor of Katharine Hepburn and her impressive Oscar legacy. Get Katherine's essential baking tip in a full post on The History Kitchen blog. The recipe comes from a letter to the editor of the New York Times on July 6, 2003.

Ingredients

• ½ cup cocoa or 2 squares (2 oz.) unsweetened baker's chocolate
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup roughly chopped walnuts or pecans

Directions

1. Melt butter with the cocoa or chocolate together in a heavy saucepan over medium low, whisking constantly till blended. Remove from heat and stir in the sugar. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour, salt and walnuts. Mix well. Pour into a well buttered 8-inch square baking pan. Bake at 325 degrees for about 40 minutes till a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely and cut into squares. These brownies are very fudgy and may be somewhat difficult to slice cleanly; use a sharp knife and a spatula to help them loosen from the baking dish.

Tips/Techniques

You will also need a 8x8 inch baking dish.