Dessert – White Chocolate Brownies

26Jun08

Birthday Traditions

- by Bob Merrick

With annual holidays and events, come traditions. Traditions that are reminders of something good, of home, of comforts that are honored moments of your past. My friend Sizzle has a steep tradition of Grandma Cake (a recipe she’ll soon share), a dessert that her family’s birthdays can not happen without. Her Aunt Peggy, since the first year I met her in 1991, has sent her famous Blarney Stones every St. Patrick’s Day, no matter where I’m living or my travels have taken me. It wouldn’t be St. Patrick’s Day without them. For me, one of my personal favorites was started by a close friend of mine named Erin. Since our love at first site meeting in 1994, she has always made me White Chocolate Brownies for my birthday. They remind me of summer, they remind me of happiness, they remind me of home.

What’s funny about traditions is they are delicious treats that could really be savored year round. Yet for some reason, they really perform at these very special occasions, making their enjoyment that much more momentous.

With my birthday coming up this Friday, I have been gathering all of the things that comfort me (close friends, a spa day, a martini, lavender scents) and make me happy. Regardless of any dietary restrictions I am putting on myself, my birthday is the one day that I can indulge in my favorite traditions- guilt free (and you can not afford the guilt when a dessert uses mayonnaise as an ingredient). Below is Erin’s recipe which I’ll be making tomorrow evening. The secret ingredient that you’ll need to truly make yours special is to find someone you can make them for and start your own tradition.

Do you have traditional treats that only come out for special occasions? We’d love to hear about them in our comments below!

and now, drum roll please, I give you, White Chocolate Brownies…

12 oz White Chocolate Chips
1 cup Butter
3 Eggs
1 cup Sugar
2 tsp Vanilla
1/4 cup Mayonnaise
1 3/4 cup Flour
2 cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

• Melt butter and white chocolate chips together in microwave (1-1 1/2 minutes stirring occasionally).
• Let it cool (but not harden).
• In a separate bowl, beat together eggs, sugar, vanilla and mayonnaise for 5 minutes.
• Beat in melted butter/chocolate mixture.
• Add flour and stir until well mixed.
• Pour batter into a greased 13×9 pan.
• Sprinkle dark chocolate chips on top of batter.
• Bake at 325 degrees for 30-40 minutes (DO NOT OVERBAKE)
• Take them out as soon as the center of the brownies is firm.

Enjoy!

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Tags: Chocolate, Chocolate Chips, White Chocolate Brownies