Brownies and bars belong to the canon of classic American treats. Virtually every kid grows up loving some version of a brownie, whether Mom made them from scratch or they came out of a box. This chapter highlights some of my personal favorites and the bestsellers at Magnolia Bakery. Most of them don’t require a mixer to make, so they come together quickly. The Billionaire Brownies, Apple Crumb Bars, Lemon Bars, and Pumpkin Pecan Bars have crusts—a delicious added element to the traditional brownie.
PERFECT BARS EVERY TIME
Lining a baking pan with parchment paper or foil and leaving an overhang eliminates the possibility that your bars will stick to the bottom of the pan. An overhang makes removing them from the pan and cutting attractive bars of equal portions easy every time.
LINING THE PAN
Butter the pan, or use nonstick spray, being sure to get into the corners. Line the pan evenly with a piece of foil or parchment paper a couple of inches larger than the pan on all sides to create an overhang.
Be sure to press the paper down into the bottom of the pan while pushing the paper into the corners.
REMOVING BARS FROM A PAN
Once the bars have cooled completely, firmly grasp the ends of the liner to pull them out of the pan. Set them on a cutting board and cut them into equal portions.
CUTTING THE PERFECT BARS
When using a 9 × 13-inch pan, you can cut 12, 16, or 24 bars. It all depends on what size you prefer. With an 8 × 8-inch pan, cut into equal size pieces. The richer the bar, the smaller each piece should be. With a chef’s knife, pressing down firmly and cleanly, score the bars in a 3 × 4 grid to get 12 pieces, a 4 × 4 grid for 16, or a 4 × 6 grid for 24 pieces. Then, use a small square metal spatula to separate each bar. If you are cutting bars with nuts or a firm crust, such as the Pumpkin Pecan Bars, use a serrated knife with a slow sawing motion and cut through the nuts first before cutting through the entire bar.