retro cooking: congo bars

Congo bars must date from the 40's and 50's - the recipe is simple and straightforward, never mind a little non-pc nowadays. If I called them Blonde Brownies ( because of the lack of cocoa in the batter), perhaps that would sound a little more chic?

The batter could not be easier - eggs, dark brown sugar, melted butter, flour, eggs. A little baking powder and whatever chips or chunks you desire and you're ready to slide it into the oven. Sometimes I add vanilla, sometimes not. It doesn't seem to make a huge difference. As you see, I overcooked them slightly, forgetting about the slightly hot oven I have. I like them slightly underdone, a little sticky, and tasting of toasty butter and chocolate. They freeze well, they go into lunchboxes well, and they make an awesome sundae, intermingled with some coffee ice cream. But I love them best with a glass of milk or soymilk.

The recipe comes from a torn out, yellowed page from the Boston Globe, credited to Millie Corbett.

This easily makes a dozen large almost 3 inch squares.

To make:

Preheat oven to 340F

Grease a 9"x13" baking pan.

2 cups flour

2 t. baking powder

1/4 t. salt

1 1/2 sticks butter, or 12 T. butter, melted

2 t. vanilla ( optional)

1 3/4 cups packed dark brown sugar

3 eggs, large

1 12 ounce package any chocolate chips or chunks

Sift the flour, salt, and baking powder and set aside.

Combine the melted butter and brown sugar in a mixer bowl and mix well.

Add the eggs, one at a time, to the butter/sugar mixture, mixing well after each egg.

Add the vanilla, if using.

Mix in the flour, salt and baking powder and mix.

Using a spatula, stir in the chocolate chips until incorporated. Spread in pan.

Bake for about 25 minutes - touch the top of the congo bars gently - they should be golden and firm to the touch in the middle.

Let cool on a baking rack before cutting into squares.

Enjoy your weekend!

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