Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Tribute to Katharine Hepburn Brownies (Tuesdays with Dorie)

Food Librarian - Katharine Hepburn Brownies

For this week's Tuesdays with Dorie selection, Lisa of Surviving Oz chose Tribute to Katharine Hepburn Brownies on pages 96 and 97 of Dorie's book, Baking: From My Home to Yours. Lisa designed our group's new logo! Isn't it grand?!



Dorie writes in her book:
After Katharine Hepburn died, eulogies came from every quarter, many including stories about her brownies. In an article sent to me by my friend Bon Appetit editor in chief Barbara Fairchild, Heather Henderson of St. Paul, Minnesota, recalled wanting to quit her studies at Bryn Mawr. Her father managed to get Miss Hepburn, a Bryn Mawr alum and a neighbor, to intervene. The famous Kate invited both the young woman and her father to her home one afternoon. At tea, Ms. Henderson got a taste of the legendary brownies as well as of the actress's views on education.

In her tribute to the actress, Ms. Henderson wrote, "I'll always be grateful to Miss Hepburn for making me stick it out at Bryn Mawr and for giving me these rules to live by: 1. Never quit; 2. Be yourself and 3. Don't put too much flour in your brownies."
Food Librarian - Katharine Hepburn Brownies

And just like Katharine dictates, this has really very very little flour! 1/4 cup for an 8" square!

I also used 1 1/2 t of espresso powder instead of 2 t of instant coffee. I think I put in a wee bit too much espresso. The brownies were very fudgy, and I'm more of a cake brownie girl, but they were fun to make! Very very easy. You only really need a saucepan!

Katharine Hepburn plays a LIBRARIAN in Desk Set!
The Food Librarian's tribute to Katharine Hepburn

Be sure to check out the other Tuesdays with Dorie bakers!

Recipe:
Find it on Lisa's blog: Surviving Oz
Dorie Greenspan was on NPR's All Things Considered (February 13, 2007) and posted the recipe and story about Katharine Hepburn Brownies.

36 comments:

finsmom said...

Yours look so pretty, all stacked on the plate like that! Great job - they look delicious!

Blue is Bleu said...

I always put espresso powder in my brownies! And I'm a cake brownie girl too, but these look yummy :D

pinkstripes said...

Your brownies look perfect. YUM!

Judy said...

Your brownies look fabulous. Maybe I shouldn't be so picky, but you're one of the few who spelled her name correctly. ;)

Ingrid said...

Fudgy brownies, yum!
~ingrid

Megan said...

Cake vs. fudgey - the great debate goes on. I like 'em fudgey, so these are perfect for me!

Sweetie said...

words to live by. thanks for the brownie education!

Tammy said...

I am a fudgey brownie girl so I loved these!

Carol Peterman said...

Fantastic looking brownies. With so many more brownie recipes to still make in the book, I bet we get a very cakey one that will be more to your liking.

Snooky doodle said...

these look so good! I love fudgy brownies!

farah said...

These look great!

SUGAR B said...

Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful brownies.

Can you save me some?

eatme_delicious said...

I love fudgey brownies! These look awesome.

the ungourmet said...

I am crazy for brownies! These look perfectly moist and wonderful.

I have to say also that this movie is one of my absolute favorites! My husband loves it too! Can you believe the size of that computer?

Audrey said...

Oh, Desk Set! I forgot about that one! Your brownies look perfect, by the way...

Esi said...

Looove fudgey brownies and I love Katharine Hepburn. These look fantastic.

Leslie said...

These look like the perfect brownies. I can't imagine a better looking brownie, and I bet they tasted just as good!

Katrina said...

Wow, your photos look grand. These were/are my favorite kind of brownie. I changed the up a bit and made them four times this past week. No I am not the one who ate them all ;)

isabelle said...

Your brownies look fabulous! I also used espresso powder in my brownies. Nice pictures!

mike said...

Great minds think alike (Desk Set)! Love your brownies - I thought the espresso powder was a must! The fudgy-ness won me over as well. Nicely done!

vibi said...

Those look perfect! Especially on that super nice cake plate of yours!

Very well done!

P.s.: I'm still waiting to make the layered Jell-o, but you never answered my question (or I don't think) ...and it was a serious question: how do you get the Jell-o to unmold so perfectly!???

Marthe said...

These were sooooo good!! Yours look absolutely perfect!

myfamousrecipe said...

I really liked these brownies. Your batch looks so pretty, I just want to reach in and grab one!

steph- whisk/spoon said...

brown perfection-- you did katharine proud! and you got that crackly top that mine didn't seem to have.

Marta said...

Fantastic brownies! I've tried this recipe and I know it's very delicious, yours looks perfect!

Pamela said...

Your brownies look stunning with all of the nuts and chocolate in there! Fantastic job.

jillbert said...

Isn't Desk Set great?! Very pretty picture of your brownies!

Tracey said...

Those brownies look amazing! I'm with you though - they were a bit too fudgy and rich for me, but still fun to make!

Michele said...

Your brownies looks so pretty!

Anonymous said...

I'm drooling all over my keyboard. Your fan, Racheal

TeaLady said...

Beautiful brownies.

Nancy/n.o.e said...

These are definitely fudgey brownies, and really good ones, at that! I guess it makes sense that you like cakey brownies, since you are the queen of cakes!

Nutmeg Nanny said...

I love Desk Set and I love brownies:)

Monica H said...

These look incredibly fudgey, just like I like 'em. I can't believe how little flour there is in these.

Erin said...

What a beautiful plate of brownies!

CinnamonQuill said...

ok. really. can I make it through the day without making these? also; how many recipes from your site have I made now?! countless! excellent work, photos, and recipes. thanks!

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