Schooling

Heard something odd today.

I was driving my daughter and her friend to color guard practice when the friend, who just started high school, mentioned that a girl she knew had dropped out of high school after only a month -- and instead is going to 'cyber high school'. I asked, and she said that its a program where you take all of your classes from home, via PC. I asked my daughter if she'd want to do that if she could, and she said no; she likes having teachers to talk with. Which is cool. But I wonder: will that become a trend? Could it become something where you take some courses from home, and others at the school?

Course, this would work, too...




Got to get back to the kitchen. The double chocolate brownies will be coming up for their first 'done' check soon.
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Update: Disappointing. They're rich, and they're solid, but also very dry -- went from moist in the middle at 35 minutes to bone dry at 40. It'd likely be good as the base for something sweet, though, so, for anyone interested, here it is --

Basic Double Chocolate Brownies (16 brownies)

• Fork-stir the flour first to lighten it.
• Measure the flour and cocoa powder properly by lightly spooning them into dry measuring cups. Level the cup with the straight edge of a spatula or knife. Do not tap down the contents.
• Do not mix the batter any longer than it takes to combine the ingredients.

Nonstick cooking spray for the baking pan
16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into chunks
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons bleached cake flour
1/4 cup alkalized (ie, Dutch process) cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon double-acting baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt (preferably fine sea salt)
4 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
2 cups superfine sugar
21/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Confectioners' sugar for dusting (optional)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
1. Lightly coat a 9-by-9-by-2-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
2. In a large saucepan over very low heat, heat the butter and chocolate, stirring now and again as the contents begin to melt, until completely melted. Whisk well to combine. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside to cool slightly.
3. Meanwhile, on a large sheet of wax paper or in a large bowl, combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powders and salt. Set aside.
4. In a medium bowl, briefly whisk together the whole eggs and egg yolk just until combined. Whisking constantly, add the sugar in a steady stream and whisk until well combined, about 45 seconds.
5. Whisk the melted chocolate-butter mixture to recombine, then gradually whisk it into the egg-sugar mixture. Add the vanilla and whisk until completely combined.
6. Sprinkle the flour mixture over the batter and gently but thoroughly whisk together the ingredients until the flour is completely incorporated. Do not whisk rapidly or for too long.
7. Using a rubber spatula, scrape the batter into the prepared baking pan and smooth the top. Bake the brownies in the preheated oven for 35 - 40 minutes, just until set (toothpick test).
Do not overbake. Don't worry if there a few hairline cracks in the surface of the brownie cake. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool completely (at least two hours).
8. To serve, using a sharp knife, cut the entire pan of brownies into quarters. Then cut each quarter into quarters again. If desired, sprinkle confectioners' sugar over the top of the cut brownies just prior to serving.
Per brownie: 295 calories, 4 gm protein, 33 gm carbohydrates, 18 gm fat, 99 mg cholesterol, 10 gm saturated fat, 64 mg sodium, 1 gm dietary fiber
Notes:
It is important to note that mixing a brownie batter by hand produces the best texture. Twice-sifting the flour ensures that the batter bakes to a satiny conclusion. And, as specified in the recipe, be sure to mix the ingredients just until combined. If you merrily beat the ingredients at each and every stage, so much air will be beaten into the batter that it will rise to glorious heights only to collapse on itself with a top surface separated from the underlying firmament -- whatever surprises it may contain.
Variations
Load the batter with semisweet chocolate chunks: Toss 3/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips with 3/4 teaspoon of the flour mixture, then set aside. Stir the floured chips into the batter after the flour mixture has been incorporated. Bake as directed. If desired, scatter 1/4 cup miniature chips (not floured) on top of the brownie 5 minutes before the baking time is up, then return to the oven for the duration.

Make the batter a bittersweet haven: Toss 6 ounces finely chopped bittersweet chocolate with 1 teaspoon of the sifted flour mixture then set aside. Stir the floured chocolate into the batter after the flour mixture has been incorporated. Bake as directed.

Add fragrance with vanilla: Split 1 plump vanilla bean down the center to expose the tiny seeds. Using the tip of a small spoon, scrape out the seeds and blend into the whisked sugar and egg mixture. Continue to mix and bake as directed.

Stir in some crunch with nuts: Coarsely chop 1 cup shelled, skinned, unsalted nuts. Scatter the nuts in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet and toast in a 350-degree oven for 5 minutes. Cool completely. Stir the cooled nuts into the batter after the flour mixture has been incorporated. Bake as directed.

Make a rocky-road batter: Toss 2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips with 3/4 teaspoon of the sifted flour mixture, then add 3/4 cup miniature marshmallows and 2/3 cup toasted, cooled chopped nuts. (See note in preceding nut variation.) Set aside. Stir the ingredients into the batter after the flour mixture has been incorporated. Bake as directed.

Impart a tropical note with flaked coconut: Stir 3/4 cup firmly packed, sweetened flaked coconut into the batter after the flour mixture has been incorporated. Bake as directed.

Slide a cookie crust underneath: Pour 8 tablespoons unsalted butter into the prepared baking pan. Sprinkle 1 1/2 cups crushed chocolate wafer cookie crumbs in an even layer over the butter and press down lightly on the crumbs with a spatula so that they absorb the butter. Bake the cookie layer in the preheated oven for 6 minutes and cool on a rack. Spoon the brownie batter onto the crust and spread it over the top, being careful to keep the cookie crust intact. Bake as directed and cool completely prior to removing.