Tribute to Katharine Hepburn Brownies (Tuesdays with Dorie)

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Food Librarian - Katharine Hepburn Brownies

For this week's Tuesdays with Dorie selection, Lisa of Surviving Oz chose Tribute to Katharine Hepburn Brownies on pages 96 and 97 of Dorie's book, Baking: From My Home to Yours. Lisa designed our group's new logo! Isn't it grand?!



Dorie writes in her book:
After Katharine Hepburn died, eulogies came from every quarter, many including stories about her brownies. In an article sent to me by my friend Bon Appetit editor in chief Barbara Fairchild, Heather Henderson of St. Paul, Minnesota, recalled wanting to quit her studies at Bryn Mawr. Her father managed to get Miss Hepburn, a Bryn Mawr alum and a neighbor, to intervene. The famous Kate invited both the young woman and her father to her home one afternoon. At tea, Ms. Henderson got a taste of the legendary brownies as well as of the actress's views on education.

In her tribute to the actress, Ms. Henderson wrote, "I'll always be grateful to Miss Hepburn for making me stick it out at Bryn Mawr and for giving me these rules to live by: 1. Never quit; 2. Be yourself and 3. Don't put too much flour in your brownies."
Food Librarian - Katharine Hepburn Brownies

And just like Katharine dictates, this has really very very little flour! 1/4 cup for an 8" square!

I also used 1 1/2 t of espresso powder instead of 2 t of instant coffee. I think I put in a wee bit too much espresso. The brownies were very fudgy, and I'm more of a cake brownie girl, but they were fun to make! Very very easy. You only really need a saucepan!

Katharine Hepburn plays a LIBRARIAN in Desk Set!
The Food Librarian's tribute to Katharine Hepburn

Be sure to check out the other Tuesdays with Dorie bakers!

Recipe:
Find it on Lisa's blog: Surviving Oz
Dorie Greenspan was on NPR's All Things Considered (February 13, 2007) and posted the recipe and story about Katharine Hepburn Brownies.
Pin It!

36 comments:

Creative Classroom Core said... [Reply to comment]

Yours look so pretty, all stacked on the plate like that! Great job - they look delicious!

Audrie said... [Reply to comment]

I always put espresso powder in my brownies! And I'm a cake brownie girl too, but these look yummy :D

Anonymous said... [Reply to comment]

Your brownies look perfect. YUM!

Judy said... [Reply to comment]

Your brownies look fabulous. Maybe I shouldn't be so picky, but you're one of the few who spelled her name correctly. ;)

Ingrid_3Bs said... [Reply to comment]

Fudgy brownies, yum!
~ingrid

Megan said... [Reply to comment]

Cake vs. fudgey - the great debate goes on. I like 'em fudgey, so these are perfect for me!

Sweetie said... [Reply to comment]

words to live by. thanks for the brownie education!

Tammy said... [Reply to comment]

I am a fudgey brownie girl so I loved these!

Carol Peterman/TableFare said... [Reply to comment]

Fantastic looking brownies. With so many more brownie recipes to still make in the book, I bet we get a very cakey one that will be more to your liking.

Snooky doodle said... [Reply to comment]

these look so good! I love fudgy brownies!

farah said... [Reply to comment]

These look great!

betty geek said... [Reply to comment]

Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful brownies.

Can you save me some?

eatme_delicious said... [Reply to comment]

I love fudgey brownies! These look awesome.

theUngourmet said... [Reply to comment]

I am crazy for brownies! These look perfectly moist and wonderful.

I have to say also that this movie is one of my absolute favorites! My husband loves it too! Can you believe the size of that computer?

Audrey said... [Reply to comment]

Oh, Desk Set! I forgot about that one! Your brownies look perfect, by the way...

Esi said... [Reply to comment]

Looove fudgey brownies and I love Katharine Hepburn. These look fantastic.

Leslie said... [Reply to comment]

These look like the perfect brownies. I can't imagine a better looking brownie, and I bet they tasted just as good!

Katrina said... [Reply to comment]

Wow, your photos look grand. These were/are my favorite kind of brownie. I changed the up a bit and made them four times this past week. No I am not the one who ate them all ;)

isabelle said... [Reply to comment]

Your brownies look fabulous! I also used espresso powder in my brownies. Nice pictures!

mike said... [Reply to comment]

Great minds think alike (Desk Set)! Love your brownies - I thought the espresso powder was a must! The fudgy-ness won me over as well. Nicely done!

vibi said... [Reply to comment]

Those look perfect! Especially on that super nice cake plate of yours!

Very well done!

P.s.: I'm still waiting to make the layered Jell-o, but you never answered my question (or I don't think) ...and it was a serious question: how do you get the Jell-o to unmold so perfectly!???

Marthe said... [Reply to comment]

These were sooooo good!! Yours look absolutely perfect!

Anonymous said... [Reply to comment]

I really liked these brownies. Your batch looks so pretty, I just want to reach in and grab one!

steph- whisk/spoon said... [Reply to comment]

brown perfection-- you did katharine proud! and you got that crackly top that mine didn't seem to have.

Marta said... [Reply to comment]

Fantastic brownies! I've tried this recipe and I know it's very delicious, yours looks perfect!

Pamela said... [Reply to comment]

Your brownies look stunning with all of the nuts and chocolate in there! Fantastic job.

Anonymous said... [Reply to comment]

Isn't Desk Set great?! Very pretty picture of your brownies!

Unknown said... [Reply to comment]

Those brownies look amazing! I'm with you though - they were a bit too fudgy and rich for me, but still fun to make!

Michele said... [Reply to comment]

Your brownies looks so pretty!

Anonymous said... [Reply to comment]

I'm drooling all over my keyboard. Your fan, Racheal

TeaLady said... [Reply to comment]

Beautiful brownies.

Nancy/n.o.e said... [Reply to comment]

These are definitely fudgey brownies, and really good ones, at that! I guess it makes sense that you like cakey brownies, since you are the queen of cakes!

Nutmeg Nanny said... [Reply to comment]

I love Desk Set and I love brownies:)

Monica H said... [Reply to comment]

These look incredibly fudgey, just like I like 'em. I can't believe how little flour there is in these.

Erin said... [Reply to comment]

What a beautiful plate of brownies!

CinnamonQuill said... [Reply to comment]

ok. really. can I make it through the day without making these? also; how many recipes from your site have I made now?! countless! excellent work, photos, and recipes. thanks!

Post a Comment

Blog Widget by LinkWithin