Brownies

Recipe No. 83 from the U.S. Army’s WWII cookbook — Cakes and Cookies. Quantities are exactly as printed, for 100 servings; a scaled-down 8-serving version is in the notes.

Ingredients

• Flour, sifted — 2⅛ pounds (2⅛ No. 56 dippers)
• Baking powder — ¾ ounce (2 mess kit spoons)
• Salt — ½ ounce (1 mess kit spoon)
• Cocoa — 1 pound (1¼ No. 56 dippers)
• Raisins, seedless — 3 pounds (3 mess kit cups)
• Shortening — 2½ pounds (1¼ No. 56 dippers)
• Sugar, granulated — 5½ pounds (2¾ No. 56 dippers)
• Eggs, beaten — 26 eggs (1¼ No. 56 dippers)
• Vanilla — 2 ounce (4 mess kit spoons)

Directions

Key ingredients

Baking Soda & Baking Powder

1. Sift flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa together. Add raisins; mix well.
2. Mix shortening and sugar; stir until light and fluffy.
3. Add beaten egg gradually, mixing well after each addition; add vanilla.
4. Add flour mixture and mix only enough to dampen flour.
5. Spread mixture about ¾ inch thick in well greased baking pans. Bake in slow oven (325° F.) 35 minutes.
6. Cut into 2-inch squares at once. Turn out onto rack to cool.

Notes

SCALED TO 8 SERVINGS (the original is ÷12.5): Flour, sifted — 2¾ oz Baking powder — about ⅓ tsp Salt — a pinch Cocoa — 1¼ oz Raisins, seedless — 3¾ oz Shortening — 3¼ oz Sugar, granulated — 7 oz Eggs, beaten — 2 eggs Vanilla — about 1 tsp

— TM 10-412, Army Recipes (War Department, 15 August 1944), recipe No. 83, Cakes and Cookies. Army measures: 1 No. 56 dipper = 1 qt; 1 No. 55 dipper = 1¾ qt; 1 mess kit cup = 1½ pints.