Rocky Road Brownies

Rocky Road Brownies

Jarad Newcomb
Hour 2

Ingredients:
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1 1/4 cups miniature marshmallows
1 cup chopped nuts
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Directions:
Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease 9 inch square baking pan.  Stir together chocolate chips, marshmallows and nuts; set aside.  In large microwave-safe bowl, place butter. Microwave at HIGH (100% power) 1 to 1 1/2 minutes or until melted.  Add sugar, vanilla and eggs, beat with spoon until well blended.  Add flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt; blend well.  Spread batter onto prepared pan.  Bake 22 minutes.  Sprinkle chocolate chip mixture over top.  Continue baking for 5 minutes or until marshmallows have softened and puffed slightly.  Cool completely.  With wet knife, cut into squares.  About 20 brownies.

Preparation Method:
I followed the directions except I did not use the nuts.  I don't like nuts so in my opinion, I didn't want them to ruin the recipe.  I know that is the Rocky Road part of the recipe.  After I sprinkled the chocolate chips and the marshmallows the marshmallows didn't look sufficient enough so I added about a medium handful more of them. After the extra 5 minutes the marshmallows weren't puffed or browned enough so I left them in the oven for another 2 minutes. 


Critique:
When I took it out of the oven the marshmallows were stretchy and gooey so I thought they were baking long enough. I thought they had the perfect amount of marshmallows, chocolate chips and brownie.  There wasn't too much of anything.  The next time I make these I think I will put some caramel on top of the brownies before adding the marshmallows and chocolate chips.  These brownies were quick and easy and I would make them again.  Next time I will double the recipe since it only made a 9 inch pan.     


Assessment:
This has a combination of the muffin method and the creaming method.  You mix the sugar, vanilla and eggs with the butter for the creaming method but since the butter is melted you don't get many little air bubbles.  Then you use the muffin method because you add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir them together.  You don't use a mixer to blend the ingredients because you would over mix it and cause it to be flat and not airy.