1) Double boilers are a pain in the ass. Bursts of water can occasionally get into the chocolate, causing it to seize. What you can do instead is to chop the chocolate, put it into a glass dish, then microwave it in short bursts: 20 seconds, then stir, then 10 seconds, then stir, then 10 seconds, then stir… repeat this until it’s properly melted– usually takes about a minute and a half. Works like a charm.

2) Line your baking pan with foil. Put one sheet vertically, then another sheet horizontally, letting the foil hang over the lip of the pan. Grease the foil. Then, when the brownies are done baking, let them cool for ten minutes in the dish, then lift the foil out. The advantages of this method are twofold: First, the foil will easily peel away from the brownies, allowing you to slice them without worrying about anything sticking to the baking dish; and second, it’s much easier to clean the baking dish when no brownie bits are sticking to it.

Also, whenever I’m making semisweet brownies, I like to add in some raisins. You cook the raisins a bit in a pan with about a tablespoon of water, then you add a bit of rum, and light the rum on fire. After all the alcohol burns away, drain the raisins, and they’re ready to go.

Nice article! Thanks very much!

Actual answer: I forgot my camera and iPhone snaps don’t cut it for this site.

You are thinking of the things the grocery stores pawn off on us lazy people as the ‘cake’ for shortcake. The real homemade stuff is more like a biscuit or a mildly sweet shortbread. I have made the shortbread type cake, but since I am a lousy biscuit maker, it doesn’t turn out very good for me.