Mrs. G's Chocolate Brownies

From Gene Option's Honey: A Connoisseur's Guide with Recipes (reviewed in Honey Cookbooks, Part II)

We baked these a few weeks ago and they produce a richly flavored brownie with a cake-like texture. They're best eaten within a day or two of baking them, which shouldn't be too difficult because they're good!

Yield: 16 brownies

1/2 cup unbleached white flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate

1/2 cup butter (recipe calls for vegetable shortening, but I couldn't bring myself to use it)

6 tablespoons mild honey (summer, amber honey)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs, beaten

1 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch square pan. Whisk the dry ingredients together in a small bowl. Melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler, stirring to combine well. Add honey and vanilla and stir well. Beat in the eggs. Add the dry ingredients and nuts and beat until well blended. Spread into the prepared pan and bake 25-30 minutes. Cool in pan before cutting into squares. The recipe includes a note that if chewy brownies are preferred, then remove from the oven after 20 minutes.