Mailman Brownies
Glittered with chocolate & pecans
What’s Been On My Plate
I’ve been making the most of this long winter break from school, and am pleased to report that I haven’t done much but rest.
Chicago has taken a chilly turn. Cars, sidewalks, and driveways are laden with ice, but (silver lining alert!) I’ve been enjoying how freezing our pipes get, as it ensures that each glass of water will taste like something from a glacier. I have a deep affection for winter. The other day, I was outside wearing only shorts and a sweatshirt. After fifteen quality minutes of shellacking the ice off my car, I still managed to smile at the blue sky before hopping in to the car. There was a rare moment of bright sun, accompanied by whispy white clouds. It was wonderful. It was classically winter.
Things that happen anytime of the year become cozy simply because they’re done in winter. Eating pancakes, reading a book with a blanket draped over your chair, and smushing into someone for the sake of warmth are top of the list. It’ll be nice to return to Iowa City for the new semester, but I’ll miss the commotion, laughter, and pups from home.
What Will Be On Your Plate
Mailman Brownies
It can be disappointing when someone offers you a homemade brownie. Most homemade brownies taste like something’s missing. Boxed is better, the people may chant. For the first two decades of my life, I agreed. I really believed there was no need to make brownies at home as long as the Ghirardelli brownie mix existed.
That is, until recently. Last week, to be exact.
Last week, I asked our mailman Jay what treat would make him most happy. Jay, who works twelve hour shifts, running mail all through town with few days off. Jay, who is always so friendly and kind to not only my family, but every family who takes the time to talk with him. Often, I see him standing on curbs, chatting through car windows of people pulled over because they didn’t want to drive by Jay without saying hi. Jay’s mom passed away a while ago and Jay loved his mom. He had mentioned, a few weeks ago, how he’d been having a hard holiday. I wanted to do something nice for him.
Jay told me he loves nuts in his baked goods. Pecans and walnuts, specifically. I told him I could work with that, but is he a cookie person? A pie guy? “Brownies!” his eyes lit up, “with nutty mix-ins!!” Telling me how he enjoys the edge pieces the most.
I went inside, with my new assignment of pecan brownies. I knew I could bake a lot of items with confidence, but I didn’t think I’d do brownies justice. But I wasn’t going to give the town-wide adored mailman a box mix of his favorite treat. So I went on a quest, scouring the cookbooks in our basement, instagram, and the internet for the perfect brownie. I learned about the ideal flour-to-cocoa ratio, about using melted chocolate vs cocoa powder in the batter, and everything in-between.
Now, I can safely say that I’ve come up with the perfect brownie— one that has a craggy top, is fudge-like on the inside, glittered with chocolate, and has a nice bite on the outer edges. I needed a brownie that would brighten a mailman’s day, and I am proud to have done it. My mom and I thanked Jay for being a smiley part of all of our days and he told us, “Kindness.. I figure it’s the least I can do for this world.” Jay is an excellent person. And the next day, he gave us a dashing thank-you card from the US Postal Service.
Mailman Brownies
3/4 cup salted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 and 1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 tb coffee (cold brew, espresso, black coffee, etc)
1/3 cup flour
3/4 cup cocoa
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
Mix-ins:
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Line a 9x9 baking pan with parchment and turn the oven to 325.
In a large bowl, melt the butter. While the butter cools off a bit, combine the flour, salt, cocoa powder, and baking powder in a separate bowl. These are the dry ingredients.
Add the sugar, vanilla, and eggs to the bowl with the butter and whisk with vigor until the mixture is creamed and golden, about 5-8 minutes. The sugar-granules with disappear and the mixture will take on a thick, custard-like look.
Add the mix-ins with the coffee to the sugar and butter mixture.
Slowly stir the dry ingredients in until just-combined. Do not over mix the batter, it should be very thick.
Pour the batter into the parchment-lined baking pan, using a spatula to spread it out evenly. Top with more pecans, if desired.
Place into the oven and bake from 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Let them set and cool for at least 20 minutes. Enjoy! Best if topped with ice cream.
This warmed my heart!!