The Winning Brownie Recipe from “The Great Brownie Taste-off”

 By Lisa Maliga, copyright 2024

Ten years ago I wrote the first book in what would become a [so far] 4-book cozy mystery series. It was more sweet romance than cozy mystery, but I was pleased with the story and the second book in the series was a proper cozy mystery story.

The changes made to “The Great Brownie Taste-off” include removing some extraneous descriptions and backstory, getting rid of the magical secret ingredient, and having a more realistic relationship between Yolanda and Zac. And I kept refining that brownie recipe until I really liked it. It’s not my favorite dessert or snack, but now I appreciate a good, hot brownie fresh out of the oven.

Please scroll down to see the recipe and watch the video tutorial.

"The Great Brownie Taste-off" Book Description

Cat shelter employee Yolanda Carter loves her job, but her dream is to own her own bakery. Living in Sherman Oaks, California with her tuxedo cat, her only outlet is baking treats for her friends, coworkers and family.

Her situation changes when her high school friend, Teagan Mishkin, drops by to tell her about an incredible job opportunity that will give Yolanda enough money to launch her bakery.

The job interview takes an unexpected turn and Yolanda stumbles across a scheme to close the cat shelter. She concocts a sweet plan to save the shelter and share her decadent brownies in the Great Brownie Taste-off. Assisted by her artisan parents, friends, and coworkers, will she win the taste-off and save the cats?

Link to all versions of THE GREAT BROWNIE TASTE-OFF
Do you like listening to books? The Great Brownie Taste-off is available on Amazon Audible.

THE WINNING RECIPE!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 cup [1 stick] unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup organic coconut palm sugar
• 2 eggs [room temperature]
• 1/2 cup [4 ounces] dark chocolate
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
• 2 Tablespoons cocoa powder, Dutch processed, sifted

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
• Grease your pan with butter.
• Sift the cocoa powder and flour together in a small bowl. Set aside.
• Chop up chocolate if using a bar. Melt chocolate and butter together over a double boiler. Use low heat to ensure the chocolate doesn’t seize.
• In a large bowl, add the sugar.
• Add an egg, mix well, then add the second egg and mix well.
• Stir in melted butter and chocolate mixture.
• Gently fold in flour and cocoa powder, until combined. Add the vanilla extract.
• Pour mixture into pan and bake for 30-35 minutes. Let the brownies cool completely. Cut into squares.
• Enjoy.  

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Meeting Mel Gibson ~ Excerpt from "Diary of a Hollywood Nobody"

Thursday, May 18

Copyright 2011-2024 by Lisa Maliga
I was sentenced to eight hours in the legal department at Warner Bros. The lawyer’s secretary was pregnant and all she did was sit behind her desk and talk on the phone. The lawyer, Mr. Manic, was civil to me at first. He sauntered in around 10:30 and disappeared into his office on the other side of the suite. Preggers sat in the large reception area and I was squeezed into a file room with a desk on the other side of the secretary’s office. The water cooler was beside the desk and he came over to fill up a mug and hand me his car keys! Mr. Manic told me to go down to his car, a Jaguar convertible, and retrieve his briefcase.

I loped downstairs, glad to get out into the sunny day and check out his wheels. It was a white Jag. with a matching leather interior and it sure smelled clean and new when I opened the door. Then I saw the briefcase. It wasn’t the standard issue case made of imported leather; it was quadruple sized and HEAVY! As I lugged it out of the car, I almost dropped the damn thing.  That it contained books was evident–but all 26 volumes of the Encyclopedia Britannica? 

The briefcase never left the ground. Having to go upstairs in the elevatorless Admin. building meant that the case rested on each step. Mr. Manic was having me, someone who was probably half his weight, play pack mule? Why? Did he hate temps?

The endearing Mr. Manic also had his car washed for him. A man stopped by and asked Preggers for the car keys so the Jag. could be washed and the gas tank filled. I’d happened to be in the reception area doing some file organizing so I witnessed the man pocketing the keys. I wanted to tell him to make sure he left the top down and hit every phone pole on the way back!

Preggers had me “run” to the mailroom to drop off some important letters. Just as I was rounding a corner, I barely avoided slamming into an equally surprised Mel Gibson! Those famous blue eyes were huge; we were just inches from a collision!

Book link: Diary of a Hollywood Nobody

Visually-Enhanced Book Excerpt