Shannon here: Sandra Ardoin shares a recipe for brownies circa 1896 from her latest Historical Romance, Enduring Dreams. Comment or answer the question in this post to enter the drawing for an e-book copy of Unwrapping Hope, the prequel novella to the series. Deadline: Oct 10th, 11:59 pm central time. Here’s Sandra:
Let’s just be upfront about this. I cook solely for the physical welfare of my family. If they enjoy what I’ve made, it’s bonus points. (Yes, I see all of you excellent cooks and bakers cringing. 😊)
Along with everyone I know, my characters like to eat, so there are times when I include a meal or dessert in my stories. Since I write historical romance, that means I need to know what foods were available or common for the time and place.
Set in the late 1890s, my Widow’s Might series is built around a group of young widows who meet every Sunday afternoon for Bible study, fellowship, and support. They’re mentored by an older widow who listens to their problems and shares her wisdom. Dessert is always on the agenda.
In the first novel of the series, Enduring Dreams, Claire Kingsley brings brownies to a Sunday meeting. It was one of the first desserts that occurred to me, but I wasn’t sure they were available in 1897, so I hit the research trail and found a recipe.
The Boston Cooking School Cookbook by Fannie Merritt Farmer, published in 1896, includes a recipe for “brownies.” It was my kind of recipe—short and simple. As a working woman, Claire’s time is limited, so it appealed to her, too.
We usually think of brownies as being fudgy with lots of chocolate. This recipe is for a molasses brownie and has no chocolate. (Okay, now I see the chocoholics cringing.) I didn’t find much on Porto Rico molasses—other than it came from Puerto Rican sugar cane—and can’t say if it’s dark or light.
Here’s the recipe straight from Fannie Farmer’s cookbook and presented as written there. You’ll notice it has no baking instructions with regard to temperature. Actual thermostats on ovens didn’t come about until the early 20th century. But I found the TasteAtlas site with this same recipe, and they advise baking in a 180-degree oven for thirty minutes.
Brownies
Giveaway
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1/3 cup Porto Rico molasses
1 egg well beaten
7/8 cup bread flour (TasteAtlas just says flour.)
1 cup pecan meat cut in pieces
Mix ingredients in order given. Bake in small shallow fancy cake tins garnishing top of each cake with one half pecan.
Simple. Enjoy!
About Sandra: As an author of heartwarming and award-winning historical romance, Sandra Ardoin engages readers with page-turning stories of love and faith. Rarely out of reach of a book, she’s also an armchair sports enthusiast, country music listener, and seldom says no to eating out. Learn more & connect:
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About the book – Enduring Dreams:
Loving her might be a blueprint for disaster.
Claire Kingsley once dared to assert herself into the male world of 1890s architecture. It cost her husband both his life and an heir. Now fear controls her choices and her dreams. When offered a chance to create another design, she fights against the pull, afraid of further disaster. But disturbing news ignites a fierce loyalty to her past love and a powerful attraction to a new one—an attraction she resists…for his sake.
Mark Gregory’s first architectural project in town comes with the proviso that he works with a female. He balks, even though Claire stirs his heart like no other woman. Yet, with a loan payment looming, risking his business on someone of unknown talent invites failure, a word he’s struck from his vocabulary.
When bigotry and Claire’s fears threaten an important commission, will she summon the courage to help Mark succeed, or will she destroy another man’s dream?
Can’t wait for the drawing? Worried you won’t win or interested in Sandra’s other books?
Get your copies now! Sandra’s Books – Amazon
Question for Readers: What’s your favorite go to dessert recipe? Where did you get the recipe?
Thanks for letting this cooking-adverse writer share a recipe on your blog today, Shannon! (And for correcting my typo.)
Thank you for the recipe! I like to eat…cook – not so much lol
My go to would be lemon squares – co-worker brought them to work and I loved them (having a lemon tree is helpful too).
Glad we have something in common, Natalya! 🙂
We can get some great recipes from co-workers. Years ago, one of my co-worker friends passed away. She was such a great cook. We all copied her personal recipe collection (with permission, of course). I’m terrific at collecting, and when I’m in the mood, I’ll try some new things.
This time of year it is Pumpkin Pie Cake Squares!
Pumpkin anything sounds great at this time of year, Joan!
I have so many favorites that I love to eat but Peanut Butter Pie is the one that I often make for church potlucks, family dinners, and to send when someone has experienced illness or a death. I keep the ingredients on hand and it is probably one of my most requested recipes. Thanks for sharing your Brownie recipe and thanks for the chance to to win your book!
Peanut Butter Pie? Never had it, Connie, but it sounds delicious and like the perfect comfort food! 🙂
I love to bake more so than cook. I’ve always enjoyed Mississippi Mud Cake. It’s a recipe i remember being in my Mom’s recipe book. The book sounds wonderful! Thanks for the chance!
Thanks, Rose! I’m with you. Baking is more my style, probably because I love sweets. 🙂
I can’t say that I have a favorite, it depends on what I’m hungry for, lol, or what the family requests.
wfnren at aol dot com
Give me sweets – any and all! Thanks, Wendy!
Y’all are making my sweet tooth flare up. I’m with Sandra. I only cook because people at my house are always hungry. If it were up to me, I’d keep homemade soup and sandwiches and live on that.
In fact, I recently learned that it was a running joke with my son’s friends that they could come to my house and have taco soup since I always had some. But hey, it worked. During his growing up years, he gathered hungry people to bring home with him.
My favorite dessert recipe is Four Layer Delight. My mom got it from somewhere when I was a kid and we lived near Atlanta Georgia. You only have to bake the crust. The rest is pudding, cream cheese, and nuts. Easy and yummy.
That dessert sounds wonderful, Shannon!
I guess I didn’t really give a favorite dessert. Hmm… One of my favorites at Christmas is Buttermilk Pie. I’m not a buttermilk drinker, but you can’t taste it, really.
I have a winner! Rose Milligan won the drawing. I appreciate Sandra for being my guest and everyone else for stopping by.