Baking the Original Brownie - The History of Brownies

[@beo_freo]

15:15 The way Max said "I love brownies so much, you guys" was the most honest way I've ever heard anyone say they love brownies. Made me aww a little bit 😂

[@WastrelWay]

Yes, and I was thinking, "Control yourself, Max" because I thought he was about to break out in tears of joy.

[@deniswilliam7051]

Said like a former fat kid

[@Shannon-um2cf]

His face! 😊

[@dunkelschwarz1335]

Like a love-struck teenager daydreaming about marrying their crush, its wonderful 😂

[@eloerch7]

I aww'd as well. He even looked a lil choked up. Made me want a brownie.

[@ProbablyNotProbable]

Such a nice light episode. No tragedies or brothers quarreling until their deaths, just a little story and a man who has fantastic taste in brownies talking about how much he loves them.

[@flandrble]

Max almost cries at the taste :D

[@luanderson.ferreira]

😂😂

[@jacthing1]

I was expecting him to mention a certain... Entrepreneur with a dark side shall we say.

[@JosieStev]

I want them to be so chewy that my mouth hurts. Old brownies are great for dunking in coffee

[@porcopiccante]

You missed the top comment

[@susanbrennan5511]

I found the recipe for Katherine Hepburn brownies when my kids were little. One day the family went to work and school and as they left I said I’m going to make her brownies. I did and after they had cooled I decided to try one. My family came home and asked where the brownies were. I lied and said oh I didn’t make them. I ate the entire pan. Best brownie I ever had. I still make them.

[@carolinavenger]

Katharine Hepburn brownies are the GOAT if you're making em from scratch. They're so fudgy!

[@amyradbill1836]

Katharine Hepburn was a graduate of Bryn Mawr College, my alma mater, and that recipe is, for us alumnae, a bit of a cult favorite. I was tickled to hear Max mention it! I’m not a huge brownie fan, but Hepburn’s recipe really is fantastic. 😊

[@mamabearcher2685]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂❤❤❤

[@mirthblaster36]

Oh yeah, that's my standard brownie recipe. She was right about a lot of things, brownies included. I do add a pinch of baking powder, not enough to make them cake-y, but just enough to leaven them a tiiiiny bit.

[@julieinmon9004]

@@amyradbill1836 Howdy fellow alumn! :D Ditto on the KH brownies. :)

[@jarodmasci3445]

I remember coming home from college, missing my mom's excellent cooking and barely getting over my initial homesickness. When my dad was out of earshot (he's a chocoholic) if there were any of her famous brownies around. She opened the dishwasher (the only place she said he'd never look) and pulled out the most glorious tray..... To this day I still get a little teary (and hungry) every time I remember that.

[@AnaMahsati]

This made me teary too, thinking about my first times coming home after leaving my parent's house.

[@moonlightwolf]

My family is Irish, and although the brownies (the fae creatures) are Scottish, I love seeing the cultural similarities. Whenever I bake something, I always leave a little bit separate for the faeries. You'd be surprised how quickly missing keys reappear after leaving out a bit of pumpkin bread in the fall 😂

[@mackereltabbie]

They sound similar to a Norwegian nisse as well

[@sgt_slobber.7628]

Can you make it Green!!!!;);)🍀🍀🍀🤗🤗🤗

[@rachelralph100]

In August 2021 my sister passed away from covid. The week leading up to her going to hospital she was struggling to eat. I ordered her a box of the most yummy brownies. She managed to eat half a peanut butter one. She asked her husband to put the rest in the freezer for when she got better. They are still in his freezer. Brownies are so bittersweet for me now.

[@atlas4698]

Oh I'm so sorry, that is really crushing.

[@Rechtauch]

Sorry for your loss. Lots of strength.

[@ldcraig2006]

😞

[@desireebailey611]

😢

[@anna9072]

😢💔

[@rosezingleman5007]

My grandma was born in 1897, and I knew her (I am mid-60s now) and I learned from her that “brownies” were any chewy bar cookie without fruit. She was an amazing farm cook who had married my grandfather and lived under a wagon on the ND plains. She sent a letter to my great grandparents saying, “I can’t believe I let him talk me into this!” They eventually had a farm house and eleven children!

[@sharimeline3077]

My grandma was born in 1904, and I'm 61 now. I wish I had her back to tell me more stories of growing up in a farmhouse in Kansas with no running water, electricity, or phone. And of course the interesting recipes she had.

[@deblawrence8341]

Great story! Thanks for sharing.

[@MossyMozart]

@rosezingleman5007 - I am so jealous - all my grandparents had died before I was born. I am glad for you, though!

[@esmeraldagreen1992]

My grandmother was born in 1901, three days after she turned 7. Her hometown was struck by a massive earthquake and tsunami.She and her family were buried in the rubble of their home, her father, one of her sisters. and other family members died in the tragedy. She lived through two world wars. She was a seamstress by trade. She could do regular sewing and tayloring. My mom and all her siblings were always dressed in fancy clothes because she would make all their clothes. clothes because m

[@andrewr681]

She lived under a wagon? That's a small space? Am I getting something wrong here.

[@Mushubeans]

Max I'm so grateful for your videos. I know you get a thousand comments like this, but I mean it. I have chronic pain and my normal life has turned into a bit of a horrible dream, but every week you're able to offer me 15-20 minutes of total mental tranquility. From the bottom of my heart: keep doing what you're doing, because we appreciate it so, so much.

[@marazobrist16]

prayers to you friend. there is no corner of the internet like max's corner.

[@rw8873]

Hang in there Mushubeans, I am also living with disability, chronic pain 🙂 and agree with you completely. Finding joy w/ Max and other like him makes it always better doesn't it?

[@ZackFairSOLDIER1stCl]

Same here, friends. No spoons these days, only forks... And maybe some knives.

[@heidimisfeldt5685]

​​@@ZackFairSOLDIER1stCl 😳 Ouch. Are you describing pain?? I hope you find a way to get well. Look up videos on inflammation, as it comes with a myriad of conditions, and there are are many natural answers for that, which also do definitly help with pain. Best wishes.

[@noahdelagarrigue3060]

much love and sympathy from another chronic pain haver! Max's videos are so soothing, even on my worst days :)

[@nero_vision]

Max, the wayy you say "I just love brownies so much you guys" makes my heart MELT not unlike the gooey center of a brownie. I would give you ANYTHING you precious bean.

[@bryanteaston7264]

My grandmother made us some brownies once when visiting her. They were from a box mix. When she got older she took shortcuts because she said she had cooked enough in her life. Anyway, they were in the oven and she had sat down, when she jumped up and said "I forgot to put the sugar in!" She took the pan out and sprinkled the sugar on top and stirred it in. Then back in the oven. All the time worried they wouldn't be edible. They were the best brownies ever and we tried re-creating them but never could.

[@KarmasAB123]

What brand was the box?

[@bryanteaston7264]

@KarmasAB123 it was nearly 50 years ago. I don't remember.

[@KarmasAB123]

@@bryanteaston7264 Fair enough

[@peabody1976]

Never forget the American rite of passage where you eat Baker's Chocolate raw and... discover it's not like a Hershey bar. 😆 And now I can kinda handle some truly bitter chocolate as an adult. But as a kid: Jamie-Lee Curtis levels of _trauma_ . Now I want brownies. Thanks for the video, Max!

[@TastingHistory]

Childhood trauma indeed.

[@Katharina-rp7iq]

Same story: drink pure cocoa powder instead of sweetened stuff for hot cocoa. I prefer the pure cocoa powder for baking. Same thing really. Add some cocoa butter instead of butter and you have yummy lactose free brownies.

[@css7337]

Canadian rite of passage, too. Semi-sweet... isn't. At least not to five-year-old taste buds!

[@SeldimSeen1]

My brothers and I would find Mom's Baker's chocolate and dip them in the sugar bowl.😂

[@BardovBacchus]

When my dad was a boy his mom would give him a square of bakers chocolate if he was a very good boy. Yea, he has *always* loved the darkest of dark chocolate.

[@marcusdire8057]

"Do Whatever you have to do to get some Brownies in your life, because life is better with Brownies." Truer words have never been spoken, Max. You are a wise man. :)

[@Lucius1958]

Even better when the brownies have the 'special herbs and spices' in them (in states where they're legal)... ;-)

[@denimadept]

Y'know, I've got the ingredients for brownies. I've been waiting for a good time to make them...

[@shindiru2]

Agreed!

[@glendas.mckinney926]

Baking brownies in muffin tins has much to recommend it: * The bake time is much shorter * Each one has both crust and a gooey center * You don't have to worry about ruining the pan by having a test bite * They are easy to decorate with a swirl of frosting, cream cheese, etc and an artfully placed berry

[@christabelle__]

No crunchy sides at all - all middle pieces! That's the best way :P

[@dd7521]

Nice 😋

[@ashextraordinaire]

I love using a mini-muffin pan and topping them with a dollop of buttercream and sprinkles to take to a party. People love a brownie bite!

[@jlshel42]

I need an artfully placed berry in my life

[@glendas.mckinney926]

@@christabelle__ turn down the temp a bit to prevent the edges from getting too dry

[@fehuthel]

The smells emanating from the old Baker’s Chocolate Factory in Dorchester, MA are the stuff of legend for those of us who lived nearby. As with many such landmarks it’s now condos.

[@skokokelli]

Yes! It still smelled of chocolate a few years after it closed down. Found my great grandparents marriage certificate a few years ago and learned my GGM worked there in 1893.

[@daxxydog5777]

Aww, sad!

[@Goobito]

It is such a comfort to see a lil plush friend in the background. Love that you’ve kept up with that through the years (in addition to putting out videos in general!)

[@Blitz6804]

I wonder why dedenne though... usually the pokémon picked has some relevance to the video, but I'm not feeling this one.

[@MonicaPrinceFam]

I'm deathly allergic to nuts, my grandmother would always make me a separate pan without nuts. My cousins would always try to eat mine first, just to deprive me of any brownies at all. The good old days and now I am the grandmother and I have to keep an eye on treats because my grandkids and nephews are just as naughty. I love this channel and I always watch with my granddaughter.

[@MarsJenkar]

While it's kinda mean to deprive someone of a treat (and this is why I advocate for those with special dietary needs to get served first, even though it means I have to wait), I do get where they're coming from. Brownies with nuts are fine, but pure chocolate? Divine.

[@susanscott8653]

​@@MarsJenkarserving those with allergies first seems a good policy to me, to prevent cross-contamination which could be lethal.

[@SafetyBriefer]

That is such a tragic story.

[@jessliang7691]

I hope you've gotten all the nut-free brownies you want since then! My brother is also deathly allergic to nuts.

[@QueenOfTheNorth65]

I have the same allergy. My mother, grandmothers, and mother in law would all make me separate pans without nuts.❤️ And neither my 5 older sisters nor my cousins ever ate my brownies.

[@Kovik_]

Whilst on desserts, you did a medieval cheesecake video; I would love to see how over time, New York style, took over as most common.

[@DuelScreen]

Oh! Has Max done a Bavarian Cheesecake yet? I'd love to know about that one too.

[@Steampunk_Kak]

I second this!

[@CheeseISlikeFEET]

I would say in the UK almost every cheesecake I see in menus is the no bake type. I think the New York type may be more popular in North America but not here.

[@Rafael_Fuchs]

@@CheeseISlikeFEET The no-bake kind is referred to as a Philly cheesecake here in NA. Not sure if it came from the brand, or the place. Lol

[@kellysouter4381]

In America you mean? In Australia it's usually the cold, non baked, version.

[@allanjmcpherson]

Honestly, cherries in a brownie sounds really good. I might have to try that once the weather turns cooler.

[@ldcraig2006]

Do it now. Don't wait for the weather!

[@brt5273]

I've done it with dried cherries. Delish.

[@oetgaol]

Yeah, I was thinking the same.

[@christabelle__]

I hate nuts in brownies, but cherries sound delicious in it!

[@lindabrashear57]

Chocolate and cherries is a fantastic combination--for proof, I submit Black Forest Cherry cake, one of the best classic cakes and my favorite version of chocolate cake.

[@pheart2381]

Brownies (the elf sort) are called Boggles in yorkshire. We even have a place nearby called Boggle Hole. They would mysteriously appear at farms and do farmwork. They were short and hairy. All they asked was a bowl of cream. If you spoke to them or offered clothes they would up and leave. A sort of little bigfoot,but more helpful.

[@joanderson6880]

Brownies were always birthday dessert at my house when I was a kid, they are so special. Love the look on Max's face when he took the first bite

[@shawnhagerich2559]

I was just listening to a book on Audible in which the author mentioned hard tack and I went "klack, klack." I hope you're happy with yourself.🤣

[@beejereeno2]

Oh, we KNOW he is!

[@SunnyMorningPancakes]

I was listening to one that referenced weevils yesterday and did the exact same thing

[@Parssnip]

I HAVE to know what book that was

[@shawnhagerich2559]

@@Parssnip Haha, that was about ten books ago now. It was just an off handed comment in the book, not like anything in the book was specifically about hard tack. I can narrow it down to a few. They are all horror, because that's what I read, haha. It was, most likely one of the following: The Creeper by A.M. Shine, Bloodsucking Fiends by Christopher Moore, The Devil and the Dark Water by Stuart Turton, or Devil's Creek by Todd Keisling. If I had to bet, I'd say The Devil and the Dark Water, as that takes place on a ship during the 1600's. But, they were all pretty good, if you're looking for a read, haha

[@doombringer6669]

I am born and raised in Bangor and have been telling people about this for the last 25 years, the story and recipe used to be on Bangor's Wikipedia page but got taken down a few years ago for some unknown reason. Thank you Max for spreading its history, Bangor's pronunciation, and everything else you do. One thing you did mess up was how you said Machias, which is in downeast Maine, it's pronounced as a 'ch' like match not the ck sound like mack. Love you Max.

[@chrisenglund9269]

He's still missing the glottal stop, but nice attempt. Great to get this history straight!

[@_iarna_]

I was very impressed that he said Bangor correctly, then disappointed by machias, lol! (I grew up in and around Bangor as well.)

[@_iarna_]

@@chrisenglund9269 oof, yeah, the first time he said it sounded ok to me, but the pronunciation around 16:38 is brutal

[@abbyrosiak8587]

Yup god love him, he even watched the Bangor song and missed the hard G! But how can I complain in a video about brownies!

[@thefroggirl1]

My dad's family is from Old Town, not far from Bangor. They always pronounced it with a hard G, like Bang-Gore not Bang-ore and not Ban-gore

[@PrisHaff]

From the age of 10 my mom got the Fanny Farmer Cookbook. In that Cookbook was a recipe for brownies. I wanted to try this, even though I had not baked anything. I made these brownies and boy, were they good! I’ve been making these brownies for 61 years, and still they’re a hit. My mom bought that book in 1962, and gifted it to me when I moved out at 19. It’s been so many years, but whenever I can, I make brownies from the Fannie Farmer, and I don’t have to do anything but open the book, and it goes to the brownie page. That’s a book you love. It knows your favorites!

[@amyradbill1836]

My own copy falls open to the Irish Oatmeal muffins, which may be my favorite muffins ever! 😊 Such a great and classic American cookbook.

[@beerandchips2545]

When you said "i love brownies so much" i felt that in my heart. Same, bro. Same.

[@jamiesmama1]

Two slight pronunciation things because I'am a total pedant, but Bangor is two clear syllables, the first ends and the second starts with a clear g - Bang Gor. If Machias refers to the town in Maine -- lovely part of the country, then the CH is like the CH in cheese. Great episode as always!

[@MommyDontSeeMe]

My great grandmother's first husband was an agent for Baker & Co. Although from Dorchester, he was located in Chicago, and I know he traveled at least as far afield as New Orleans. Because my mother grew up in the same area, her older brother had a job as a teen at the factory. My mother recalled him bringing home 5 lb. blocks of chocolate. As a result, she grew sick of it, and all the time I knew her she couldn't stand chocolate. As a result, she made very few chocolate desserts when I was growing up. So I LOVE chocolate, especially brownies. Our current neighbor makes brownies to give them away. Ms. V showing up at the door with a fresh batch is a welcome day indeed!

[@ashextraordinaire]

As someone who frequently bakes stuff to share with neighbors, I really appreciate this! Sometimes we wonder if people really like the stuff we make, or if they're just humoring us.

[@MommyDontSeeMe]

@@ashextraordinaire Well, if it is me, I can tell you, the neighborhood LOVES Ms. V's brownies - if you meet someone then find out you have her as a friend in common, I guarantee that the first topic of conversation is THE BROWNIES! 😍

[@shorttimer874]

Growing up something like 60 years ago now, our next door neighbors owned a Greek restaurant. Every year come holiday time they would bring over a huge tray of baklava. Only time I have had it, did not realized that I missed it until I read this.

[@ashextraordinaire]

@@MommyDontSeeMe Ms. V and I are sisters at heart, then. I've discovered that the people in my neighborhood basically know me for my cakes. They may not know my name, but they know my cakes!

[@carolinejames7257]

​@@ashextraordinaireI'd adore such a neighbour!

[@CapriUni]

When I was a teenager (back around 1980), our family had a stash of Christmas wrapping paper that we reused over the years (Dad had a thing about never using tape when he wrapped packages). And one set of papers were covered in in illustrations from that Brownie book. Seeing them again brought back memeories.

[@Mudhooks]

Re: “The Brownies”. In the book, they would get up to all sorts of mischief at night, usually carrying on like drunken sailors. The rocking horse one is hilarious. Also important to note… the Brownies were immensely popular with children and probably one of the earliest and wildly successful marketing mergers was when Kodak brought out their “Brownie Camera”, a point and shoot camera so easy to use that children could use them. The Brownie characters featured in the advertising. Initially, the camera would be sold with the film already inside and once you finished the film, you would take the camera with the film still inside and Kodak would process the film. The camera was very cheap to but. Later, they made the Brownie Camera reusable and you would unload the film in the dark and take it in for developing. They were plastic and came in several colours. Mine was pastel green. I loved the camera and when I was 4 I took it to Britain when my mother and I went. I still have some of the photos I took, both in Ottawa before we left and in England. They are actually pretty good if I say so myself. Unfortunately, on a trip to the seaside for picnic, it was very wind and sand got in everything, including jars of pickles, sandwiches… and my camera. My camera still worked but it made a grinding noise when you depressed the button.

[@threeleggedcat]

You being genuinely emotional about brownies was so sweet 🥹 I love them a lot too

[@jacobshaw340]

I am very proud to hear that one of the origins of brownies comes from my home of Maine. I lived very close to Bangor for most of my life. As I grew up, I moved around a bit and did live there in town for a short time. It's a very beautiful town.

[@stubblyhead]

I stayed at the Palmer House on a recent trip to Chicago. It's a beautiful hotel that is not even the slightest bit haunted.

[@stubblyhead]

Just kidding, it is absolutely 100% haunted

[@css7337]

Sounds like something a hotel ghost would say! 🤔

[@crystalmichaud3716]

Dang it. I was hoping it was. Thank you for informing me before I take a trip.

[@kathleenhensley5951]

I was going to say it was disappointing it wasn't haunted. Is it or isn't it? Every building older than 2 weeks should have some supernatural aspects.

[@stubblyhead]

@@kathleenhensley5951 It is totally haunted. Imagine the Overlook Hotel from the Shining except not evil and sinister.

[@korbi3449]

Woah, uploaded just at the right time as my wife is baking brownies! What the fudge? 😂

[@TastingHistory]

Enjoy!

[@D-Vinko]

If you want to read old cookbooks yourself, the Gutenberg Library hosts a TON of public domain books, books from pre 1970 usually. Many many old cook books from 1800-1960ish, a few from 1500-1700,

[@traryvery8851]

Yes its fantastic . So much fun looking stuff up.

[@sternis1]

In Sweden, we have something called Kladdkaka (usually translated to Mud Cake, but would be more correctly translated to Goo Cake). It's a chocolate cake with a recepie very similar to brownies (though nuts are not standard, but can be added), but it should be baked so that it's not possible to eat without a spoon. There should be a harder crust, but the middle part should be gooy to the point where it almost doesn't hold its shape. It's usually eaten with whipped cream or ice-cream. It is such a wonderful treat and the closest to a national dessert that we have.

[@ThomasRoma-l9s]

Commenters often say “You don’t know how much your content helped me “. You do know. Your content is excellent. Your contribution to mental health is quite appreciated.

[@AdamYJ]

Ah, brownies! One of the great American culinary inventions. I’m glad you brought up the connection to the brownies of Scottish folklore. I should note that household spirits like that exist all over the world. There are Lutins of France, Nisse in Norway, Kobold in Germany, etc. Even the word “hobgoblin” usually refers to these household spirits. Probably the most famous depiction (before Harry Potter) was the elves in the Brothers Grimm fairy tale “The Shoemaker and the Elves”. The elves in that story (which probably are more properly called kobolds) also disappear after accepting clothes as their final payment.

[@daisysmum7336]

As a baker I’ve tried many types of brownie recipes. I’ve concluded that everyone has their favourite recipe and you just have to keep making them until you find the recipe you like best. Happy Baking!

[@firstlast1047]

@@daisysmum7336 Not a fan of brownies...too much chocolate... Although, the best I had many decades ago were made with goat's milk.

[@PantherGX]

Related Fun Fact, in Canada the second age group in Girl Guides (basically equivalent to your Girl Scouts) are (were?) called Brownies after the house fairies.

[@AdamYJ]

They’re called that here in the U.S. too.

[@Dee-x9f]

I was a Brownie as a kid, but I didn't remember it was because I was "a helper elf" (makes sense, though!)

[@sandralouth3103]

So are the first level girl scouts in the states.

[@mickmossberg2836]

Yet another fun fact: The Girl Scouts of the USA has six levels, which are: Daisy: For kindergarten and first grade Brownie: For second and third grade Junior: For fourth and fifth grade Cadette: For sixth through eighth grade Senior: For ninth and tenth grade Ambassador: For eleventh and twelfth grade and Juliette: For Girl Scouts without a troop (a.k.a. an individually Registered Member (IRM) of the G.S.)

[@kellysouter4381]

Same in Australia. Their uniform was brown. The guides are in blue. My sister and I were in those groups.

[@PetWessman]

Hey Max, since you’re a big lover of brownies, I’d recommend trying a Swedish kladdkaka (=sticky/gooey cake). It’s essentially a Swedish brownie, and living in Sweden where brownies are less common, I’ve never found a brownie recipe I prefer over kladdkaka. My family’s go-to recipe is: 3 dl sugar 1 1/2 dl AP flour 4 tbsp cocoa (unsweetened, the really dark kind, I think you call it Dutch processed) 1 1/2 tsp vanilla sugar (extract will be fine) 1 ml salt 2 eggs 100 g melted butter (I prefer salted) Mix dry ingredients (including sugar). Add the eggs, mix. Add the butter, mix. Batter should be thick, dark and glossy. Butter a round cake tin and add some breadcrumbs (NOT the panko kind). Shake the tin to cover the bottom and sides with the breadcrumbs, discard the excess crumbs. Add batter to the tin and bake at 150-175 degrees Celsius for approx. 35 minutes (bake time will depend on tin diameter and the hotter your oven the gooier your cake center will be. When tested, a toothpick should come out with a small smear of wet batter (not a whole glob) and the edges of the cake should start to pull away from the sides of the tin. Let cool to almost room temp (do NOT refrigerate, it’ll get very hard), and serve it forth. Best accompanied with unsweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

[@bgclo]

Good 'ol Rears and Sawbuck! My grandfather swore by (and at) them with fond memories of ordering something from the catalog whenever he had surplus from his pay of "37-and-1/2-cents" a day (it was the 1930s after all...)!

[@marishabanerji9326]

...now i want brownies. Dammit!

[@Danny.._]

you said these brownies weren't as dark as you like - the dark color normally comes from dutched cocoa and this recipe uses baker's chocolate instead, so that's why it's not as dark. you also said the top doesn't have the shininess you're used to - the shiny brownie skin comes from having the sugar really well-dissolved in the batter, so you can get it by using powdered sugar instead of normal granulated and mixing well

[@DaneSaysStuff]

I recently learned of super fine quick dissolving sugar. Game changer!

[@nicolerichter-smith2573]

Also, adding a pinch of salt or cayenne pepper can enhance the chocolate flavor.

[@Boodlums]

I'm trying to learn how to get the soft top layer of honey cake. Know anything about that? I'm starting to gather that maybe it's from placing a covering on the loaf pan?

[@Danny.._]

@@Boodlums not sure - there are a lot of things called honey cake. if you want a soft cake with no crispy crust, you might want to look at techniques for things like british "puddings" where the cake is sealed up and steamed - that definitely leads to a soft, no-crust cake. you can also try just cutting off an unwanted crispy layer (grate it and bake it to make cake crispies for decorating or sprinkling on ice cream), or after baking the cake, soak it with something flavorful - british christmas pudding or italian babas are soaked with rum, or syrups made of rum and sugar and water and other flavorings.

[@Wounded_King]

Adam Raguesa had a pretty exhaustive look a couple of years ago at various factors including fineness of sugar in imparting a glossy cracked layer to your brownies, kzbin.info/www/bejne/p6GpZnWVn62NqNk.

[@Handsygrandma]

I loved your bite reaction on this one. You genuinely looked like you were fighting back tears. I for one, completely understand your love of brownies. I have come to find a lot of comfort in your videos. Thank you for your contribution to history and the lives of your fans.

[@cianmoriarty7345]

You can certainly have a double boiler for melting chocolate where the water touches the bottom of inner vessel. It's more efficient that way. The only thing is that for many applications, though probably not this one, you must not allow any water to get into the chocolate. This is probably why some people say that, because if the water touches the inner vessel, perhaps it is more likely to drop some water in the melted chocolate when you transfer it. But even if you steam the inner vessel there will still be condensation on the bottom. So you're better to wipe the bottom with a kitchen towel before transferring.

[@jamjam53104]

Maybe with glass like Max was using it’s not a good thing for the glass to touch the water.

[@LdyJedi]

This brought back memories of making brownies for friends with the highest quality chocolate I could find. They smelled amazing! After dinner, I put them out for everyone. The first friend took a bite and his face screwed up in disgust. The second friend did the same. It turns out, remembering to put the sugar in is REALLY important.

[@kunegund9690]

I did this with my sister for a party. Neither of us can forget the "diet cake" incident.

[@EtruskenRaider]

We had our wedding reception at the Palmer House. Amazing hotel. Bertha Palmer was a major reason the Art Institute of Chicago, just down Monroe St. from the hotel, has an enormous collection of French Impressionist paintings. On the topic of “Brownies,” the little elf motif makes it a mascot of the Cleveland Browns football team.

[@carolynallisee2463]

There is certainly quite a lot of folk-lore about Brownies ( the sprites, not the confection or the UK girls' group of the same name). I once had a book that detailed UK folk lore by country and then county, so read quite a bit about the household Brownie. This sprite was supposed to be invisible, and you only knew it was present by two things. One was that household chores would get done without anyone actually ding them, the other was that food would just vanish. It seems that in payment for doing housework these brownies would help themselves to food. One tale concerned a large house that had a brownie helping the servants maintain the place. This house was built on a river bank, and was connected to the main road of the region via a bridge. one year a big winter storm caused the river to flood, and though the house escaped damage, the bridge was washed away. It became evident that the brownie didn't live near the house, because no housework was done unseen, and no food had disappeared for several days. Then, suddenly, in the middle of one day, a dish of something left out to cool started to empty itself, thus revealing that brownie was back. As the bridge by the house hadn't been rebuilt, the people wondered how the brownie had got there and after some questioning ( I can't remember now how this was done) they learned that the brownie, discovering the bridge was gone, had hiked to the next nearest one, some miles away, crossed the river there, and hiked all the way back to the house. Thereafter, if someone was delayed, or late, coming back from a task, they were said to have 'taken the long way round, as Brownie did'.

[@minuteman4199]

Based on that, there are no sprites on my house

[@ellaisplotting]

Lovely contribution, thanks!

[@Hillbilly001]

LOL!!!! Brownies were about the only thing that I baked in home-ec that didn't get messed up. Took the class in 1977 and if it wasn't for the 24 girls in the class, I would've failed baking. LOL! Cheers from Tennessee

[@CBGBBB]

I feel like everyone can’t agree on what a proper brownie is. Some people like it more “cakey” and other people like it more “fudgey” and then there’s the extra ingredients that “need” to be in a brownie.

[@orterves]

Brownie is a spectrum; all brownies are beautiful

[@daegan_ftw]

I'm team chewy brownie.

[@MandalorV7]

An ex-girlfriend of my brother liked putting chocolate frosting on brownies. Had a glass of chocolate milk with them. It was the most chocolate experience of my life up to that point.

[@TheHalcyonTwilight]

That's the mark of a real cultural recipe, rather than a handed-down recipe from a celebrity chef or cookbook. There's no "proper" way to make or shape your pasta either, depending on where you are in Italy it varies immensely. Every family has its own different recipe measured from the heart, your grandma's brownies are special and unique, even if they're adapted from an old Betty Crocker recipe with a load of notes added in. Abolish the idea of "proper recipes." Embrace making it how you wanna.

[@johnbrodie245]

An extra special ingredient...

[@jackihutch87]

awwwwwwwww the "I love brownies so much, you guys" was maybe the sweetest moment I've ever seen on youtube

[@13mungoman13]

Regarding your disapproval for raisins in brownies, I actually put cranberries in my brownies, which adds a wonderful little pop of fruity tartness to the richness of the brownie. I hugely recommend you give it a try!

[@peterrickard3304]

Sorry, but I think that would be worse than raisins/sultanas

[@molivah]

Makes sense, probably why the Palmer hotel does the apricot glaze on top. Sounds delicious to me 😋

[@aleisterlavey9716]

Sacrilege!

[@john2001plus]

I heard that during medieval times, around holidays like Christmas, parents would make sweet cakes they would leave out for their children. When the children would ask where the treats came from, the parents would respond, "Brownies", which were elves.

[@atlas4698]

I'm gonna do this if I have kids.

[@firstlast1047]

😝Not a Brownie fan...Too much chocolate. But, thanks for the coherent recipe. I'm not adverse to baking brownies for others. 😅

[@Dee-x9f]

Interesting... is this the source of Madison Ave's idea for the Keebler Elves?

[@Xx4DarkVoid4xX]

​@@firstlast1047 if the brownie is too chocolatey eat it slower with sips of milk in between and you might want to put a light amount of salt on it

[@PeoplePlacesRocknRoll]

​@@Dee-x9f 😅😂😅😂

[@Meloderyn]

I still remember the brownies in my college dorm cafeteria. You wouldn't think it was possible to screw up a lovely chocolatey dessert, but these things were drier than the Atacama.

[@WendyLorenc]

Overbaked brownies are such a big disappointment. 😢

[@PhillipCalvin627]

All I could think of listening to this at work was making a big, thick brownie and for some reason adding a bit of raspberry syrup over top before a heaping scope of vanilla ice cream… I wasn’t planning on going to store after work but then I listened to Tasting History.

[@gregmacias1643]

I finally found someone who loves brownies as much as I do. So happy you covered them.

[@RevIlikai]

Max, you were so in love with that bite of brownie that it looked like you were going to shed tears of joy 😂😂😂

[@Firegen1]

Max is a fan of the blocks of succulent brown As a a person of that description I shall make it my mission To create a poem that extolls it's virtues as a gooey provision A history small and slight in delicacy 120 years past this particular recipe The requirement of two squares of Baker's chocolate May lead to experimentation with weight, time and content Or purely to be blissfully content By eat, design, researching a tea time fave No "practices" would have gone to shame In the search for confection perfection Bertha creating a boxed lunch with one small square with your sandwiches

[@TastingHistory]

Loved, as always.

[@Firegen1]

YAY! For a minute I might have got "fired" for the ​"no practices" line. And.... by that I mean the cats..... defintitely the cats... @@TastingHistory

[@gamersinger5118]

@@TastingHistory Just in case you have never tried them before might I recommend trying Guirardelli brownies. Probably the greatest boxed brownie on planet Earth! I especially like to add just a smidge of vanilla extract for a more homemade taste too. They are so delicious.

[@sovietcanuckistanian]

I’ve known of the little fairy creatures called Brownies for years but I never knew the dessert was named for them. Stuff like this is why I love this channel.

[@louisapdjones]

I agree with you 100% about raisins. Raisins work in oatmeal cookies. Chocolate chips work in brown bottom cookies. Walnuts work is both AND brownies.

[@Didymus20X6]

I take the Alton Brown philosophy: If it calls for raisins, they are always optional, and I always opt to exclude them.

[@MeritRaXIX]

That's the same recipe I do today, my grandmother taught me when I was young. I have it written by her in a very old homemade cookbook.

[@Allronix]

Okay, tempted to give the molasses version a swing. They look like an early idea for what we now call blondies

[@julieinmon9004]

Blondies are (nowadays) made with brown sugar, right? And isn't that sugar with some molasses left in it? This makes so much sense!

[@jeanjaz]

Our blonde brownies are actually butterscotch. You cook the butter and sugar together on the stove top first to get the butterscotch flavor.

[@HisVirusness]

5:48 I can never not be reminded of Devil In The White City whenever this comes up.

[@joanhoffman3702]

Same here.

[@bmay8818]

Same! Good book.

[@thomson872]

Me, too!

[@blackdragon7979]

Same!

[@kathyastrom1315]

Bertha Honore Palmer was a real influence in turn-of-the-century Chicago. Not only was she the doyenne of the city’s society, but her house full of Impressionist art was the core of the Art Institute’s original collection.

[@tall1sobay]

These very much look like the ones my mother made in the 60's and 70's. The tops were never shinny. She had several recipies for brownies. Like the ones here, frosted ones which were more cake like, but still gooey and chocolate mint ones which had a mint later and ganache layer. Been watching you since almost the begining Max. You probably had less than 5K then. I've loved watching your journey!

[@pamelamays4186]

Videos like this make me more excited for my baking classes at school.

[@Smieska_13]

OMG THAT EXPLAINS SO MUCH. In canada we have a girls scout thing called 'Girl Guides', but the younger version is called 'Brownies', i always wondered why that was.

[@doombringer6669]

They're brownies here in the states too

[@AKCFTW]

@@doombringer6669While the Girl Guides of Canada were founded two years before the Girl Scouts in the United States, I believe the “Brownie” term and concept originated with the American Girl Scouts. Pretty sure they call it something else in most of the other Commonwealth countries?

[@tracysmith7935]

While in elementary school, I was a "Brownie" in my pre-Girl Scout youth.

[@Lunettarose]

We have the same in the UK - all the sixes are named for similar folklore creatures, too, eg pixies, gnomes, elves etc. I was a gnome!

[@eileenhildreth8355]

I was a brownie here in New Zealand, and had books from england that called young girl guides brownies, we were divided into sixes called pixies, sprites, gnomes etc ​@AKCFTW

[@witchyvicar]

The "Brownie" story is what is told in the Girl Scouts when you become a Brownie Girl Scout. it's great to hear more of the story behind it. :)

[@danielsantiagourtado3430]

YAY! Love brownies! Max! What do You prefer? Brownies or blondies? Me? Brownies gooey in the middle

[@TastingHistory]

Brownies all the way. Though I enjoy blondies.

[@danielsantiagourtado3430]

@@TastingHistory Same 🤗🤗🤗🤗

[@firefly5247]

I'm team blondie all the way. (Brown butter blondies are elite)

[@whotfcaresaboutyouropinion]

😂😂

[@peabody1976]

Or, hear me out, a combo of brownie and blondie in one pan. :)

[@mythra7174]

Brownies really are the best dessert. If one *must* use a mix and not make them from scratch, I really love the Ghiradelli brand mix.

[@wandamontgomery6030]

😊

[@ShalimarPerfume]

My hubby used to be a professional baker in his younger years and he had a trick for making a master batch of blondies and turning a third of the batch into brownies and a third into marbled blondie/brownie. I was amazed. Love old fashioned brownies like my mother used to make and it was this recipe.

[@TisHotMessHistory]

Did someone say "brownie"? Yes, please!

[@RossOriginals]

That story about brownie elves does sound familiar... it's just like "The Elves And The Shoemaker"

[@phrebh]

Baker's chocolate has always been based around 1 ounce blocks, though. That was their selling point. The current variation throws that off for some annoying reason, but older bakers (no relation) automatically knew the recipe meant 2 ounces.

[@TastingHistory]

But now they are 1/2 ounce blocks.

[@phrebh]

@@TastingHistory Yup. My point is that the recipe still makes sense. Commerce doesn't. 😆

[@LurkerSmurf]

I have the same problem using recipes from the '70s and '80s, which isn't that long ago when you're talking about Max's 120 year old recipe. Baker's should have left the sizing alone, or put a footnote on the wrapper.

[@cygnata]

The ones I buy near Philadelphia still have the 1oz blocks.

[@RampantOracle]

@@LurkerSmurf It's very annoying that they bothered to put "4 pieces = 1oz" but not "4 pieces = 1 'square'". Whoever decided to make the change should've been fired.

[@catherinejones5807]

30 years ago, I was working at a hospital and there was a bakery across the street which served Kaluha Brownies and coffee. These brownies were a type of chocolate brownie with cream cheese swirls and Kaluha baked into the dense, rich chocolate brownie cake. Delicious!

[@marshmllodragon]

"I love brownies so much you guys" 🥺 me too Max, me too. 😂

[@Kilonum]

The Baker's factory depicted on that box art at 2:02 has since closed and been converted into apartments and condominiums on the Dorchester side and offices and shops on the Milton side.

[@cameronharms7109]

Ok hear me out: “Making History with Max Miller” A cooking competition show with max as the host and one of the judges. Contestants compete by recreating historic dishes based on descriptions by max, make updated versions of ancient dishes, and utilize historic cooking methods. Someone get Netflix on the horn

[@jniles]

Chopped, but no modern day foods or conveniences/appliances. Must know how to light and maintain heat in a wood stove or wood fired oven.

[@DaneSaysStuff]

No. Max shall not sully his good name by letting them brand another terrible drama ridden "reality" show with it.

[@julieinmon9004]

I support this 100% - Get Townsend involved too, a couple other guest judges - I hear what you're saying @DaneSaysStuff but this guy deserves all the money and recognition he can get. :)

[@skmarrama]

I think what I loved most about this episode was your reaction after you bit into it for a taste test. That reaction was pure and genuine. You are inspiring me to pull out my raggedy Better Crocker cookbook and making homemade brownies. My granddaughter made brownies the other day from a box and they were paper thin. I hate how we've kept the packaging the same but reduced the contents. Loved this because of you!

[@Siege181]

Max saying how much he loves brownies at the end endears him to me even more! Love your content Max!

[@Rockisan923]

Mainer, born and raised, and went to school near Bangor I applaud you for looking up the pronunciation of Bangor, we do like to tease when people say it wrong, so good on you for not falling for the trap! (So many bang-er jokes) On that note: Machias made me laugh just a little (with love). It’s definitely deceiving from the spelling. Another beautiful town with amazing history, archaeology, and one of the best restaurants Downeast ;) This was so interesting! Thank you for sharing!!

[@sandralouth3103]

My grandparents had that Brownie book. I remember sitting on the bed "reading " that book instead of napping. Never put an early and voracious reader down for a nap in a room filled with books.

[@sonkeschluter3654]

Pretty sneaky way to lead someone to reading if you ask me.

[@beth8775]

That sounds like a feature rather than a bug 😊

[@mwater_moon2865]

@@beth8775 Only if they still get enough sleep. We had to take all the books out of my daughter's room, she would open her curtains and blinds and use the light from the street lamp outside to stay up reading FOR HOURS. And then not be able to wake up in the morning for school, her first grade teacher would complain that she was groggy or falling asleep in class from it too....

[@spooje]

Fun fact, if you go to Brazil they have stores called "Brownieariums" where they have what must be 80 different kinds of brownies

[@SamFisher338]

Where? I'm brazilian and a massive fan of sweets but I've never heard of that. Sounds like heaven, though brownies are usually kinda expensive here.

[@spooje]

@@SamFisher338 At the big mall with the statue of liberty on Avanedo do Americas in either Ricreo or Barra de Tijuca. I've been there. There's one at the smaller shopping mall in Ricero, and the main street shopping area. I've also been at one in a shopping area in Indiatuba (I'm not sure the spelling), a city near Saō Paulo

[@loriloristuff]

Or you could just go to Brownie Points Bakery in Chicago. While there, please also stop at Terry's Toffee.

[@kramermariav]

Holy smokes! I'm going to Brazil, lol

[@TDAEON]

Sounds like heaven!

[@SciFiFemale]

In the UK there is a Girls club, age 7-10, called Brownies, named after the house brownies. The younger group is called Rainbows(5-7), and older, Guides (10-14), then, Rangers (14-18).

[@traryvery8851]

In Australia as well 🇦🇺

[@kunegund9690]

And New Zealand! Our younger ones are Pippins though.​@@traryvery8851

[@carolynmiller8519]

In the USA the younger Girl Scouts are called Brownies. Their logo looks like a dancing fairy type figure, now it finally makes sense why! I love learning with Max!

[@mwater_moon2865]

The US Girl Scouts also have Brownies (grades 2nd & 3rd now-- aged 7-9, but grades 1-3 when I was a child) and they very much play on the helpful house elf in the materials for it, both when I was child before Daisies (grades K & 1st, age 5-7) existed and now. After Brownies you bridge to Juniors for 4th-5th grades, then Cadettes for middle school (grades 6-8, ages 11-14) and Seniors for the 1st two years of High School (aged 14-16) and Ambassadors for the last two years of High school (aged 16-18) though to be fair, most of the time, the older 3 groups of girls get put together for activities, unless it's travel. International travel is only High Schoolers.

[@aerocarnie]

I did not watch this episode the day it came out; I waited until I could be sure I had brownies ready to eat during/after viewing, because I knew I would regret it otherwise, and I can say now that this was absolutely the correct course of action.

[@myfirstmylast8641]

Your channel is a gift to the world, esp these days. We get wrapped up in your stories and delight in your cooking right along with you. No political sway, no fake info, no over-hyped sensationalism, just down-home goodness. ❤ Max Miller, you are the Betty Crocker of our day. Thank you!!

[@JohnC2009Edin]

Just finished making the clotted cream from last week! 👍

[@TastingHistory]

This is much quicker to make

[@JohnC2009Edin]

@@TastingHistoryturned out well though and the scones (rectangular) were great

[@stevenedington6265]

I have my mom’s brownie recipe. I remember making them for school and church potluck dinners. They always went so fast that you were lucky if you got one. But we were the really lucky ones, she made them often just for us. This was in the 1950’s. According to my dad she got the recipe from his mom which could push the recipe’s origins back to the 1920s. The recipe calls for four squares of chocolate.

[@ChairmanChico]

13:29 “(The Bangor Song) is really really good, you should watch it, because the song is a banger.” Max…. 😂

[@QueenBoadicea]

I made these recently and brought them for my group. It was so easy to make and so quick that I baked them in the mornings, which I rarely do. I didn't have unsweetened chocolate baking squares so I substituted six tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder and two tablespoons cooking oil. It worked perfectly (and I didn't have to wait for it to cool). So thanks to Mr. Miller.

[@melissamoonchild9216]

I always wondered if Brownies (treat) were related to Brownies (faires) and I'm so delighted to hear that they are. Charming

[@advanceringnewholder]

10:00 GODDAMMIT ROWLING!!!!!!

[@Nahuman]

In Finland, we have a variation of the brownie called "mokkapalat" (lit. mocha bits). The main difference in ingredients is the addition of coffee, which gives a nice depth and a little bitterness to cut through the chocolate. It also has a chocolate/coffee glaze with sprinkles on top. ..yes, Finland is usually in the top 3 coffee drinking countries per capita, why do you ask?

[@annec781]

I have a chocolate pie recipe that calls for chocolate liqueur.

[@mhl6951]

I love myself a wholesome and entertaining youtube channel. Thank you Max! Love your show ❤

[@JustJimWillDo]

Goodness me, I thought we were going to have tears at the tasting! That young man certainly does love brownies.

[@p.foster28]

I love to watch Max Miller. I wish there were more people in media just like him. He's entertaining and I learn from him as well.

[@BardovBacchus]

My grandmother made brownies this way all her life. When my dad was a boy his mom would give him a square of bakers chocolate if he was a very good boy. Yea, he has *always* loved the darkest of dark chocolate. Thought now that he's in his 80s, too much dark chocolate will make his mouth sore, because he likes over 90% cacao. Now I have a reason to visit this place in Chicago

[@theGypsyViking]

"Life is better with brownies." Truer words never spoken.

[@DaiyaDoggo]

9:35 Ohhh, that's why Dedenne is in the background. (It's a fairy type)

[@jayfon1234]

Like a few others I'm sure, I'm checking in from Bangor, ME. Thank you for the shout out! I love the old map you found. And that little diddy sung by our local celebrities really is sweet.😊

[@yesacsamoht5394]

I homeschool my kids and i use your videos to supplement their history lessons. They love them so much.