We are sharing a little piece of history in our latest edition of Traveling Tastebuds. Did you know that the dessert that we all know and love was invented in the pastry shop at the Palmer House, a Hilton Hotel for the 1893 World’s Fair? The Palmer House Brownie is the first brownie invented. It is the original recipe that has been replicated (and adapted) throughout the globe!
If you are in Chicago, Palmer House is a must visit, and not just for their famous Palmer House Brownie. The hotel, founded by business magnate, Potter Palmer as a gift to his bride, Bertha Honoré Palmer, was originally destroyed in the Chicago fire. Palmer, was determined to rebuild and on November 8, 1873, the new Palmer House welcomed its first guests, marking the opening of what would become the nation’s longest continually operating hotel. In recent years, the hotel had an extensive renovation.
Enjoy the splendour of the DIVINE lobby by enjoying a drink at the Lockwood Lobby Bar, eat at one of the restaurants onsite, take in Dennis Watkins’ The Magic Parlour An Intimate Evening of Classic Magic with Dennis Watkins and of course try the original Palmer House Brownie. It is a must-see if you are in Chicago.
We have the recipe for the Palmer House Brownie for you to try at home until you can make a trip to the Windy City yourself!
Palmer House Brownie Ingredients
14oz. Semi Sweet Chocolate
1lb Butter
12oz. Granulated Sugar
4oz. Flour
8 Eggs
12oz. Crushed Walnuts
Vanilla Extract
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. Melt chocolate and butter in a double boiler. Mix the sugar and flour together in a bowl. Combine chocolate and flour mixtures. Stir 4 to 5 minutes. Add eggs and continue mixing.
3. Pour mixture into a 9×12 baking sheet. Sprinkle walnuts on top, pressing down slightly into the mixture with your hand. Bake 30-40 minutes.
4. Brownies are done when the edges begin to crisp and has risen about 1/4 of an inch.
Note: When the brownie is properly baked, it will remain “gooey” with a toothpick in the middle due to the richness of the mixture.
Glaze: Mix together 1 c. water, 1 c. apricot preserves, and 1 tsp. unflavored gelatin in sauce pan. Mix thoroughly and bring to a boil for two minutes. Brush hot glaze on brownies while still warm.
