Almost-Instant Brownie

Do you have instant hot chocolate mix?  You can make a brownie in two minutes, counting cooking time.  You don’t even need a bunch of ingredients.

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It will cost you about $ .30-40, depending on how much you paid for the packets.  The packets have about 3 Tbsp of mix in them: about 1 Tbsp. each of sugar, cocoa powder, and whey/creamer/milk powder.  If you have the kind of cocoa mix that you have to add to milk (instead of water), it's basically half cocoa powder and half sugar (i.e., 1/4 c. mix= 2 Tbsp. cocoa powder, 2 Tbsp. sugar).  You can use mix in any recipe that calls for both cocoa powder and sugar, as part of the ingredients.

I made these brownies three different ways, just to see what would happen when substituting different ingredients.  I've tried it with raspberry-chocolate mix, it's delicious.  Use whatever you have, play around with it if you feel like it, and if it’s not perfect, put a little more ice cream on top!

Version 1:  Cakey Brownie

2 packets of instant hot chocolate mix (I used Nestle Rich Chocolate because I found it in the back of the pantry)
2 Tbsp. sugar (use honey if you don’t have sugar)
1 Tbsp. softened butter, or use vegetable oil
1 egg
3 Tbsp. flour, or 1/3 c. quick oats (if you use a packet of sweetened instant oatmeal, reduce the sugar by 1 Tbsp.)

            In a microwave-safe bowl, beat together the mix, sugar, butter, and egg.  Stir in the flour.  Microwave for 60-90 seconds, until mostly cooked.  There should be a shiny, uncooked spot about the size of a dime or quarter.  It will finish cooking as it cools.  Serve with ice cream, and/or hot fudge sauce, chopped nuts, or whatever you have.

 

Version 2: More Chewy brownie

Use ingredients for Version 1, but beat the egg first by itself, and only use half of it in the batter.

 

Version 3: No Eggs (or oil/butter) in the House

Hey, this sounds weird, but what is mayonnaise made out of? Oil, and egg.  Mostly.  Look up “Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake; you’ll find some great recipes.

 2 packets of instant hot chocolate mix (I used Nestle Rich Chocolate because I found it in the back of the pantry)
2 Tbsp. sugar (use honey if you don’t have sugar)
1 ½  oz. Mayonnaise (use condiment packets, or use 3 Tbsp. from a jar)
3 Tbsp. flour, or 1/3 c. quick oats

Mix, stir, microwave for 60-90 seconds, until cooked.

 

This is what the batter using a whole egg looks like.

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This is the same batter with only 1/2 egg in it.

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The brownie after cooking: see that small shiny spot close to the center?  It's still a little doughy, but will finish cooking as it sits.

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