Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, March 8, 1995                   TAG: 9503080056
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: 3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

TIPS FOR MAKING BROWNIES AS GOOD AS THEY CAN BE

A recent survey found that four out of five Americans still have a passion for the moist, chewy treats discovered by the clumsy cook. While it's hard to improve on perfection, Betty Crocker, which makes 10 varieties of Supreme brownie mixes, offers these tips to ensure that your brownies are always at their best:

Bake at the correct oven temperature, allowing 10 to 15 minutes preheating time. Too hot an oven can create dry, crumbly brownies with crusty tops that may get done around the edges but not in the center. Too low a temperature can produce soggy or raw brownies and may prevent brownies from rising.

Follow recipe directions carefully. If you wish to add ingredients, such as nuts or chips, in addition to those called for in a recipe, use no more than 1/2 cup.

Measure accurately and mix by hand. An electric mixer incorporates too much air into the dough. Too much liquid can create soggy or raw brownies and can prevent brownies from rising. Additional liquid also gives brownies a more cakelike texture.

Use the right size and type pan. A shiny pan is best; too dark a pan can cause overbaking and dryness because it does not reflect the heat.

Lightly, but thoroughly grease only the bottom of the pan. Greasing the sides makes the dough crawl upward and may produce a done "lip" on the edges and an undercooked depression in the center.

As shown by the following pizza recipe, brownies don't have to be square. To turn them into cupcakes, grease bottoms only of or line 12 medium muffin cups with paper baking cups. Fill cups three-fourths full. Bake at 350, F for 25 minutes.

recipe for:

PIZZA PAN BROWNIES