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The original brownie recipe from the Parker House in Chicago. OMG, they are decadent. They're a very fudgy brownie. But better than fudge.

The original recipe suggests brushing the tops with apricot glaze, but I make a chocolate ganache frosting instead.

Cut them in very small squares, because they're so rich.

I got the recipe off the Travel Channel website. I've made it a few times, and each time, when people taste them, they do that moan of delight and eyeroll thing. Other than people who simply don't like chocolate, I've never seen anyone not like these.

How about red velvet cupcakes? They are very festive and fun looking.

Dorie Greenspan (a Serious Eats contributor and one of my favorite baking authors) has a great and very easy recipe for Lemon Butter Cookies from her Paris Sweets (Sablés au Citron) cookbook:

http://splendidtable.publicradio.org/recipes/dessert_lemonbuttercookies.html

I'd recommend Lemon Bars, but if you're already making a gooey batch of brownies, they might be redundant.

I've been making Maida Heatter's original brownie recipe from her "Book Of Great Desserts", with some tweaks, since around 1975 or so. It continues to get raves whenever I serve it, and it's the recipe that The Barefoot Contessa's version is based on (The Soho Charcuterie's Soho Globs). They are totally worth the fuss, and I think they are better than Ina's deconstruction:

Maida Heatter's Brownies

5 oz. (5 sq) unsweetened chocolate (I also add a small bag of semi sweet chocolate chips - it makes them extra chocolately)

5-1/3 oz (2/3 c.) butter

1 Tbsp. instant coffee (I use 2)

4 eggs (I use extra large, they work well with the extra chocolate)

1/2 tsp. salt

2 c. sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1/4 tsp. almond extract

1 c. sifted all purpose flour

10 oz (2-1/2 generous cups) walnut halves

Adjust oven rack one-third of the way up from the bottom of the
oven. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Butter a 10-1/2x15-1/2x1" jelly roll pan (I use a regular 10 x 12 pan - if you add extra chocolate and nuts, you'll need the leeway.) Line the bottom and sides with one long piece of wax paper. Butter the paper. Dust all over lightly with flour, shaking off excess (I dust the pan with cocoa powder - the brownies come out without any whitish residue.) Set aside.

(If you're not so worried about presentation, I bake them in a greased disposable pan, without bothering with the lining.)

Melt chocolate and butter in top of a double boiler over hot water on moderate heat. Stir with a small wire whisk to blend. When melted and smooth, add instant coffee and stir to dissolve. Remove top of double boiler from heat and set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, in small bowl of electric mixer beat eggs and salt until slightly fluffy. Gradually add sugar and continue to beat at medium-high speed for 15 minutes until very fluffy. Transfer to large mixer bowl.

Add vanilla and almond extracts to cooled chocolate mixture. On lowest speed add the chocolate to the eggs, scraping bowl with a rubber spatula and beating only enough to blend. Still using lowest speed and rubber spatula, add the flour, beating only enough to blend. Fold in the nuts, handling the mixture as little as possible.

Place into prepared pan and spread very evenly. Place in oven. Immediate reduce the oven temperature to 400 degrees - (don't skip this step). Bake 21 to 22 minutes. Test with a toothpick. It should just barely come out dry. Do not overbake. Brownies
should be slightly moist inside. (Heed this advice too)

Remove from oven. Immediately cover with a large rack or cookie sheet and invert. Remove pan and wax paper. Cover with a large rack and invert again. After 10-15 minutes invert once again only for a moment to make sure that the Brownies are not sticking to the rack.

Biscotti are another good dessert for a shower.

There's a cherry-chocolate brownie recipe on epicurious that uses cherry preserves in the batter. They are rapidly becoming my favorite brownie, and are just different enough to be interesting. I think they'd be a good pick for a shower.

Barefoot Contessa ones or the ones out of Baked (so so good). Recipe here:

http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/09/the-baked-brownie-spiced-up/

I've made other things out of the Baked book to rave reviews.
http://makingitwithmeleyna.wordpress.com/2009/02/16/188/

I use the recipe on the Ghirardelli's cocoa tin. Dee-licious. And I follow their suggestion to add some chocolate chips.

I just made the Blondies from the How to Cook Everything book, and they are very, very good. And easy!

I also make brownies with a recipe that is identical to Embackus's. They are perfect.

Maida Heatter's recipe is definitely the best, I can also always tell when bakery's use her recipe!

How about a cheesecake brownie? You can't go wrong by combining two of the best things in the world - thick, fudgy brownies and sweet, creamy cheesecake. I'd recommend the Black & White Cheesecake Brownies from Nestle (don't have a direct link, but they shouldn't be hard to find). Very rich, so a little goes a long way, easy to make, and cute to look at (mini chocolate chips in the cheesecake batter on top). I've made been making these for years, and everyone loves them.

The recipe in Bittman's "How to Cook Everything" is my new base brownie recipe - it is the first recipe I've ever tried that beats the box. I usually add a little bit of extra cocoa powder to it, and throw in chocolate chips and/or walnuts. They come out really fudgy and amazing!

I love the Salted Fudge Brownies that were in Food & Wine magazine Dec 2007...in fact I'm making them today, but I'm going to add a bit of caramel on the top before baking.

Kate Krader's Salted Fudge Brownies
Ingredients
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon Maldon sea salt

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°. Line a 9-inch square metal cake pan with foil, draping the foil over the edges. Lightly butter the foil.
In a large saucepan, melt the butter with the unsweetened chocolate over very low heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat. Whisking them in one at a time until thoroughly incorporated, add the cocoa, sugar, eggs, vanilla and flour. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface. Sprinkle the salt evenly over the batter. Using a butter knife, swirl the salt into the batter.
Bake the fudge brownies in the center of the oven for about 35 minutes, until the edge is set but the center is still a bit soft and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out coated with a little of the batter. Let the brownies cool at room temperature in the pan for 1 hour, then refrigerate just until they are firm, about 1 hour. Lift the brownies from the pan and peel off the foil. Cut the brownies into 16 squares. Serve at room temperature.

I also recommend Katherine Hepburn's recipe. Also Nick Malgieri's "Supernatural brownies" are great. Extremely rich, though a little sweet for my taste. Last time I made 'em, I threw in a very finely chopped (almost mashed) fresh habanero pepper. Recipe here: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/11/dining/111brex.html

any chance of getting the Parker House brownie recipe?

Monelle

Embackus I'm going to try yours next time. I've probably been through a dozen or more different recipe, I am not completely satisfied yet. I tried 2 from Dorie Greenspan's Baking from My Home to Yours and really disliked them, which was surprising. I've also tried Katherine Hepburns and didn't quite like them either.

However, I have had most success with Pierre Herme's brownies from his Chocolate Desserts book (also written by Ms. Greenspan). I make them with toasted pecans, and I'll add a hit of cinnamon if my mom might be eating them.

http://www.ochef.com/r71.htm

Ingredients:

5 ounces (145 grams) bittersweet chocolate, preferably Valrhona Caraibe, finely chopped
2-1/4 sticks (9 ounces; 260 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
1-1/4 cups (250 grams) sugar
1 cup (140 grams) all-purpose flour
1-1/4 cups (5 ounces; 145 grams) pecans or walnuts, lightly toasted and very coarsely chopped (keep the pieces large)

Instructions:

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Butter a 9 x 12-inch (24 x 30-cm) baking pan, fit the bottom with a piece of parchment paper, butter the paper, and then dust the inside of the pan with flour; tap out the excess and set the pan aside.

Melt the chocolate in a bowl over — not touching — simmering water or in the microwave oven. Remove the chocolate from the heat and leave it on the counter to cool slightly. The chocolate should be warm to the touch (no more than 115°F (45°C), as measured on an instant-read thermometer when you mix it with the other ingredients.

Working in a bowl with a flexible rubber spatula (or in a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment), beat the butter until it is smooth and creamy but not airy. Stir in the chocolate. Gradually add the eggs, then add the sugar, followed by the flour and nuts, stirring only until each ingredient is incorporated. (If the mixture separates when you add the eggs, use a whisk to blend the batter and continue with the whisk when you add the sugar; go back to the spatula or paddle for the flour and nuts.) This is not a batter to be beaten or aerated.

Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 19 to 22 minutes; at this point, the top of the cake will be dry, but a knife inserted in the center will come out wet. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and allow the brownies to cool for 20 to 30 minutes.

Run a blunt knife around the edges of the pan and unmold the brownies; remove the parchment paper and turn the brownies over to cool to room temperature right side up. When you are ready to serve, cut the brownies into 18 pieces.

Yield: Makes 18 brownies

Keeping: The brownies can be wrapped airtight and kept at room temperature for 2 days or frozen for up to 1 month.