"brownies" news and stories

Ah, brownies, a simple, classic, easy-to-bake dessert -- unless, of course, you are a Pentagon employee, in which case you follow a 26-page recipe to make them. That's right: twenty-six. As CBS News so wittily pointed out, these are people who take their desserts almost as seriously as war.

The recipe -- or rather, the formula -- covers every possible detail, actual or hypothetical. There is no room for creative interpretation here. For example, the size: That would be precisely 3.5 by 2.5 by 5/8ths of an inch per brownie. The ingredients list, too, is very, very specific -- measurements are listed in parts per weight, which is more exacting than, say, cups or tablespoons. Even the moisture content of the finished product is specified (that would be not more than 8.0 percent -- for an "uncoated" brownie).

When NPR's Guy Raz spoke to the Pentagon about their thorough approach to baked goods, Jeremy Whitsitt, speaking for the Department of Defense Combat Feeding Directorate, explained that these brownies are not intended for ordinary circumstances. They are, in fact, heading into war zones. "One thing we like to say is, 'What would happen if you cooked a meal, stored it in a stifling hot warehouse, dropped it out of an airplane, dragged it through the mud, left it out with bugs and vermin, and ate it three years later?'"

Would you want a brownie made in this pan? Kind of turns your brownie into a chocolate bar, right? Williams-Sonoma's chocolate-bar-inspired pan would seem to be an homage to the Hershey bar, but The Hershey's Company is not flattered -- in fact, they're suing.

Hershey's iconic chocolate bar has spawned plenty of imitators, many of whom mimic the bar's shape, with its rows of bite-size, interconnected rectangles. Hershey claims to own the basic motif, though -- four rows of three rectangles-- and is seeking an injunction to block the retailer from selling its pan version.

Find out why Hershey's is fired up after the jump.

Each Thursday, we round up a selection of scrumptious links from our friends over at YumSugar. Here's what they've got cooking this week:

Because Thanksgiving is merrier with more, have back-up table settings waiting in the wings.

There's something for everyone in this almost meatless Thanksgiving menu.

If you want to skip the bird, try this savory squash pudding with kale and shallots.

Costco has blacklisted Coca-Cola from its wholesale empire.

During a downpour, the only thing to do is make brownies -- of course!

Coming soon: RS103-130, the mutant, near immortal apple.

How appealing is vegan tofurky & gravy soda?

Though we've never been able to choose sides on the vanilla-versus-chocolate debate, blondies as unique as these render the traditional brownie somewhat uninspired.

Frites & Fries' recipe for Butterscotch and Whiskey Bars inventively pairs the dulcet butterscotch with a not-so-subtle dash of whiskey (a quarter cup!), adding a pleasurably harsher nuttiness to what becomes a complex, sweet-savory confection. The grown-up recipe aims to please both those with a penchant for sweets and those with a weakness for whiskey -- and provides an easy, soul-warming wintery treat.

The flexible blondie serves as a vessel to showcase whatever ingredients you favor, from cranberry and white chocolate, to coconut and lime. What are your favorite blondie additions? Share your recommendations in the comments!

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Whether they're packed with walnuts, shaped like ghosts and goblins or infused with bacon and bourbon, brownies rarely fail to satisfy. Maybe it's the fact that their texture is somewhere between cake and cookie (when done properly), or just that they're always packed full of chocolate. Even a simple brownie -- with no bells, whistles or bourbon -- can be absolute perfection. Just ask Flickr user little miss amanda, who made these using a recipe from the New York City bakery Baked.

On her blog, Slow Like Honey, Amanda admits that while they're actually her second favorite brownies, they'll still "render you senseless" and are -- like any brownies worth their weight in chocolate should be -- better the next day.

Become a member of the Slashfood Flickr pool to get a shot at having your photos featured in Feast Your Eyes.