Strawberry Shortcake
Nancy Harmon Jenkins, "Jane Grigson's Fruit Book"
5072 ratings with an average rating of 5 out of 5 stars
5,072
About 45 minutes
Updated Oct. 25, 2023
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Heat oven to 350 degrees. In an ovenproof 10- or 11-inch nonstick skillet (preferably ceramic nonstick) set over medium-low heat, combine the butter, chocolate and salt. Let butter and chocolate melt, stirring occasionally. Turn off the heat.
Carefully whisk in sugar until smooth, then whisk in eggs and vanilla. Finally, whisk in flour until no streaks remain. Using a spatula, fold in the nuts, if using. Smooth top and sprinkle lightly with flaky sea salt if you like.
Bake until the top is set, the center is soft and the edges are firm and start to pull away from the pan, 20 to 27 minutes. (A toothpick inserted into the center will come out gooey.) Transfer to a wire rack to cool. You can serve these still a little warm and straight from the pan, with ice cream on top if you like. Or, let cool completely before slicing into wedges or bars.
I think the serving size is incorrect. One serving for a bad bad day is more appropriate.
I've been making these one pan brownies for years. Using my Grandmother's recipe. Adding a teaspoon of instant coffee to the batter makes them even better!
Chocolate chips may be quicker, but they are coated to prevent clumping. A chopped chocolate bar will melt much better.
Could this be done in a cast iron pan?
If you use an enamel lined skillet, you can whisk with no damage to the non-stick surface. Maldon is a flaky finishing salt that, imho, I would not add until any dish was set to cool. Then, I would sprinkle some on top to maximize the crunch of the salt as a textural component of the finished dish. Adding it during the cooking process makes it dissolve as any other regular salt. So then, what's the point?
Melissa writes as well as she cooks! I wasn't craving brownies until I read this piece :).
If you under-bake this a little, the center is gooey and eating the brownies is like licking the bowl, only hot. I baked the batter in a 10" cast iron skillet at 325°, an oops. I took it out at 20 minutes because the top was no longer shiny and it "looked done", another oops. The middle was gooey but not runny, and the family loved it this way. Just like Bob Ross says, there are no mistakes, only happy accidents.
FABULOUS brownies! Just one issue with the recipe--I would have saved a lot of time and effort if I'd mixed everything up in a bowl and then poured the batter into the skillet! Every stirring step was a pain--the skillet was only 1.5-2" deep to start with, and it obviously kept getting fuller as I followed each step....
I am about to try this with Cup for Cup, I'll try to report back!
All the steps would be easier if you were willing to use a bowl. Wisk eggs in the pan? I guess it can be done, but why?
It’s just (delicious) underbaked brownies. Lots of butter; chocolate (more butter). With ice cream, one serving scores at least 50% of an adult’s recommended calories for one day. Enjoy… but not too often.
Try letting the melted chocolate cool more before adding eggs. Also whisk eggs separately in a cup before adding helps.
If you're making quickie skillet brownies and you want them even quicker, use good quality chocolate wafers or 60% chocolate chips and save yourself the tedious task of chopping up chocolate. That will save a couple of minutes.
For those who do not have a pan that can go from stovetop to oven these can be made in a saucepan on top of the stove and then turn the batter into a baking dish to finish in the oven.
These are like the brownies we learned to make in Home Ec 60 years ago! We used a double boiler to melt the butter and chocolate, then mixed the rest of the ingredients right in. I still make my brownies that way - so good!
I love these brownies!!!
It's 10pm on a Friday night and I am making these brownies. And I will eat them with my love as we watch Vera on Brit Box. Welcome weekend!
Used 9” 1.5 qt round Creuset enamelled cast iron. Followed reader advice and mixed ingredients in bowl first. Took 27 minutes. Didn’t find bittersweet chocolate so mixed 2/3 unsweetened 1/3 semi-sweet. Finished with Maldon salt. Everyone loved it!
Add about a tsp of espresso powder Chocolate chips Toasted pecans
Made as directed, delicious, used cast iron pan;
Used 1/2 cup sugar instead of 3/4. Added 1 tsp instant coffee. Used salted butter instead of unsalted. Deeeeeelish but still gooey at 30 min. Will cook longer or at higher temp next time.
Do not forget to take the skillet off the heat before adding the eggs! (Weird texture.) Great and simple recipe. I used my deeper cast iron skillet. I also tried it with a regular glass baking dish and had a bit of an issue with sticking to the dish so they didn't come out in neat squares but nobody minded. Goo is Good!
Requesting a recommendation for an ovenproof ceramic nonstick skillet - for these brownies and other cooking, too. Thank you in advance.
Any idea whether this can be partially baked the night before then finished at the last minute to serve as desert the next evening?
I am wondering the same thing!
These brownies were amazing! I made them in a 9” square pan. I added 1 tsp of espresso powder which really enhances the chocolate flavor. Also I had a handful of chocolate chunks leftover so threw them into the batter. Definitely top with the flaky sea salt.
5/5 for taste but 3-4/5 for prep. Very hard to mix in the skillet! Definitely some sloshing with adding each ingredient.
Very good! But I do not think it needs 1 1/2cup of sugar. It was way too sweet. I would do it again but re-adjust the sugar ratio.
I made these brownies in a cast iron pan, and they turned out great. Thanks to a reader's suggestion, I added a teaspoon of espresso powder. Perfection!
Super easy to put together and very delicious. Fudge like brownies not cake.
These brownies are delicious. You should give them to all friends and loved ones as a gift. They are a gem!
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