On Saturday We Bake · Connected Through Play

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On Saturday We Bake

This week, over in the Crust & Crumb Academy

and I are experimenting with homemade pita pockets, let me know if you'd like the recipe. Here in the community though, we're wrapping up sweet science week with one of my favorite treats - brownies. For the full activity, complete with twists and variations by age check out #The Great Brownie Experiment the short version is provided below.

What's your favorite sweet treat?

Brownies can be thin or thick, chewy or cakey, crisp at the edges or soft in the center. Small changes in how you prepare or bake them can create surprisingly different results. If you bake, don't forget to share your results with us.

Gather Your Gear:

Use your favorite brownie recipe or a boxed brownie mix.

You'll also need:

Ingredients required by your recipe
Mixing bowl
Spoon, whisk, or spatula
Measuring cups and spoons
Two small baking pans, or one pan divided with folded aluminum foil
Parchment paper or cooking spray
Oven mitts
Timer
Knife and cutting board
My Science Notebook (optional)

Optional additions

Cooled caramel
Mini marshmallows
Sugar crystals
Chocolate chips

Be sure to wash your hands thoroughly before handling food.

Adult help is required when using the oven and handling hot pans.

Steps:

Read the recipe together before beginning.
Choose one brownie question to investigate.

Examples:

Thin brownies or thick brownies?
Warm brownies or completely cooled brownies?
Plain brownies or marshmallow brownies?
Plain brownies or caramel brownies?
Shorter baking time or longer baking time?

Predict what you think will happen.
Prepare the brownie batter according to the recipe.
Divide the batter evenly between the two pans or pan sections.
Change only one variable while keeping everything else the same.
Bake with adult supervision. If one section is thinner, begin checking it a little earlier.
Allow the brownies to cool enough to handle safely.
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