Unsweetened Chocolate Squares

[Kayleigh Telega]

Welcometo The Storied Recipe! Guests of the podcast share a recipe they cherish for its significance to their culture and heritage. I invite you to listen to Liz Zunon's episode, Grandpa Cacao's Granddaughter, while you make this classic Baker's brownie recipe.

One of my favorite episode ever! Author/Illustrator Liz Zunon talks about her semi-autobiographical children's book. As the little girl in the book bakes a cake with her father, she is connected across climates, continents, and generations to her grandfather. In the interview, we discussed Liz's story and how it relates to her book. We also talk about issues surrounding cacao farming and fair-trade chocolate. Finally, Liz tells us about the many artistic techniques she used to create a "visual language" to tell a story through illustration.

This recipe is very similar to the one my Mother made for us. But mine never came out as good. I read the comments about beating the egg and sugar long enough. It made all the difference! Thanks very much!

Found this recipe because my mom's brownie recipe lists "squares" of chocolate and I wasn't sure if the sizes of the squares had changed since the 70's. I know the Baker's chocolate boxes got smaller. As I read your recipe, I realized my "Mom's" recipe was the recipe off the Baker's box! This is the recipe I grew up on and it's great.

It's a classic, for sure! Thanks for sharing, Jen!!! (Also, your story reminds me of the Friends episode where they seek high and low for Phoebe's grandmother's "secret" chocolate chip recipe and they find out its the original Tollhouse recipe. Which is, of course, the best ?

Beatrice, the change you made directly impacted your result. Sugar isn't just a sweetener: "Sugar easily binds with water, which accomplishes two main things. 1) It locks in moisture, keeping your baked goods from drying out; and 2) It inhibits the development of gluten which keeps your cookies, cakes and sweet breads softer."

So you didn't follow the recipe correctly and are now complaining about the results? Seriously? Also, you want a brownie recipe with no baking powder and fewer eggs? I am mystified that you picked this one then.

So... this is really interesting. Mine is a double batch (which I did on purpose bc we never make less than a 9x13) BUT calling for the same amount of chocolate as your single batch. Is it possible that your recipe says 4 squares? We always used 4 squares (2oz, 1/2 box) for one batch and 8 squares (4oz, 1 box) for a double batch. I double checked with my mom, whose notes are pretty meticulous and she confirmed hers came from the box as well. It would also explain why your batch is bitter. What do you think? Thanks so much, Jenni!

Just the classic brownie recipe I was seeking! I made it yesterday, and it came out exactly as advertised--definitely a keeper. Next time, though, I will use butter or shortening rather than cooking spray: all that lusciousness can be sticky. ?

I tweaked this recipe a bit to make these brownies more chewy and fudgey. I used semi-sweet bakers chocolate and added 1 tablespoon of unsweetened dutch cocoa. Of the 4 eggs I added, 2 of them I used yolk only. I added 1 cup of brown sugar, and just 1/3 cup white sugar. I also added 1/3 cup chocolate chips. Turned out great!

That kind of chicanery DOES deserve an uproar. HALF as much. Not a little bit less, like an ounce. HALF. I am joining you in your uproar even though I hardly ever buy baking chocolate (too lazy; I go straight for the brownie mix).

I recently read that the price of cocoa is going up because there is a global shortage. That being said, when a product is specifically used for baking people will probably notice a size decrease more than a price increase. Their marketers kind of blew this one.

I was running errands this morning and checked the grocery store-I thought we might still have the 8 oz packages since I live in Alaska, and it takes us quite a while to get something new. Nope-4 oz-I did buy some 13X9 pan brownie mix, and some Hershey unsweetened cocoa-just in case the global cocoa shortage hits!

I have a stash of the old, individually wrapped chocolates in my pantry. I shall think of them as a valuable commodity. I liked individually wrapped, it is a pain in the ass to break/cut chocolate. I also liked having twice as more for the same price. Lame.

YIKES!

I thought I was truly going nutty. It totally spun me around. After 60 years of baking to be challenged by naked 4 oz. bars. I am sure it was a benefit to my new brain connections it forced but to now have to stop and reconsider your measurements with a totally new system. It is rude, unnecessary, as well as financially.a BAD DEAL. I am done with A forever.

Juanita is now 79 yrs old and she is very upset that you took away the 8 ounce bakers unsweetened chocolate and replaced it with a 4 ounce box inwhich now she has to use twice as much to make her home made cakes and cookies from scratch you should leave well enough alone you have lots of bakers out there that is old school and im sure their not happy either. I think you should bring jt back.

I have used this chocolate for over 50 years. Why do they have to change things? I liked the individually wrapped squares. When I try to break this it will not be even. I guess I have to find another way to buy chocolate.

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I've got about a pound of unsweetened chocolate (Kennedy & Wilson - an Australian brand) that has a "best before" date of one year ago. The chocolate has always been kept in a cool part of the house, and it shows no signs of bloom. I've not tasted it because, well, it's not really meant to be eaten out of hand, but do you think it would still be fine to use in baking? I know it doesn't contain any milk solids, which would obviously shorten the shelf life, but as it is a food item, it's not going to have an indefinite shelf life. I understand that cocoa butter is a relatively stable fat, and I would think that if it's gone rancid, I'd be able to know by the smell.

I'm going to be baking 3 batches of Dorie Greenspan's Chocolate Chunkers, and despite the recipe calling for only 1oz of unsweetened chocolate, I'd hate for anyone to get sick by eating a cookie containing chocolate that's one year over its "best before" date. I'm probably just being over-cautious, but better to be safe than sorry!

That said, I've used properly stored chocolate over a year old for personal baking as long as it passed the sniff and taste tests... and not only the unsweetend stuff. Tasting unsweetened chocolate isn't the horrible experience you may be picturing, especially if you eat a lot of darker chocolates anyway, but you could mix a little sugar and some water, heat it and pour it over the chocolate then mix it up good. That will add some sweetness without adding things that will mask the taste. If it still tastes good that way, it will taste good in the recipe. If you're really worried, taste it a couple days before you want to bake. If you don't spend a night on the throne, you'll be fine.

If it looks good I bet it is just fine. I eat 100% pate cacao all the time - it is not horrid IMHO! I would taste a bite or two, just to make sure it isn't rancid (cb), which I am quite sure it isn't.

Dark chocolate, like red wine, stored properly - actually improves with age. It will undergo a form V to form VI transformation over time and start to look dusty - so will need to be retempered when it does. Other than that - it should last until you use it up.

I happen to know someone who works in the industry and knows a thing or two about chocolate - your liquor, assuming you've stored it in a cool, dry place, unexposed to light or strong odors, will last for a very long time. The best test to see if it's 'gone bad' so to speak? chip off a piece of it and taste it. if it tastes like soap or like cardboard, it's begun to 'go bad'.

I tasted the unsweetened chocolate before I made the cookies today, and while I don't think I'll make a regular habit of eating it out of hand, I didn't detect any off flavours, and so I was happy to use it.

You can cut these brownies into squares, once they have cooled, and eat them out of the pan, but it is so much nicer to pile them on a fancy plate, from which people are going to eat them with their hands anyway. If you want to smarten up your act you can put a square of brownie on a plate with a little blob of crme frache and a scattering of shaved chocolate.

This easy Chocolate Buttercream Frosting recipe is made with 5 simple ingredients, perfect for creating beautiful cake layers, toppings, and fillings with a delicious, thick, and fluffy frosting!

This buttercream recipe is so simple and kid-friendly (even if they are just around to lick the bowl). Whenever I make this chocolate frosting recipe my family usually knows my famous chocolate fudge cake is about to follow!

For the best results, I make mine without cocoa powder, but instead with melted chocolate using chocolate bars which melts easily in the microwave. It is a simple way to add a fancy frosting that produces the perfect fluffy, buttery, and chocolatey smooth finish.

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