I have this old recipe, that my grandmother's aunt's, someone or other (don't really know any more, no one alive can remember) cut out of a magazine years and years ago. The Title is "Blondie Brownies, No Bake Brownies easy enough that even a blond can make them."
There's a pretty short article that reads something like a terrible, sexiest joke, by today's standards anyway. It basically states that if your doing a crappy job as a wife, and your husband's not happy, that you should try to make these no bake brownies for your next desert.
Obviously, the recipe and article are, a bit out of time, but I won't post either here because I don't know the rules for copyright stuff from that long ago.
It's also a cut out, and it's been so long, that I can't tell you what magazine or year. Given the context of the articles and who it's coming from, I would say it's 1930s to 1950s with more emphasis on the 50s.
Now here's the thing, They are referred to as "No Bake" brownies several places in the article. They are also mentioned to be super easy. The last step in making the brownies is to bake them, and the recipe by today's standards, while not difficult, is far from fool proof (slight measurements being off, or the wrong kinda pan ruin them)
So the question is, how are these brownies considered "No Bake", when you clearly have to bake them? And, is have recipes really gotten that simple with time, that this recipe, would have thought of as super easy, while today I find it moderate difficulty?
I know it's hard to tell things about difficulty with a recipe, when you can't see it, but some easy ways to mess it up, are very slight mis-measurements in the ingredients (not adding a flat cup of sugar but leaving it a little over the top), or baking it in glass instead of metal.
Based on comments here is the recipe, minus the article, instructions in my own words.
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
2 eggs
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup chocolate chips
Mix all the dry and wet stuff together, dry first, then spread in a 13x9 metal pan (very important) Bake at 350 for 30 mins. Don't over bake or use glass cookware. Cool in pan.
