Though we have yet to see an entire store devoted to the brownie (I'd bet money someone in New York has one in the planning stages), there are cookbooks devoted solely to this rich little square - a startling 32 by last count on Amazon.com. When one such brownie book, The Brownie Lover's Bible (Whitecap, 2008), hit my desk just before Christmas, I tossed it into the "no thanks" pile but quickly retrieved it, recalling all the cupcake books I rolled my eyes at when that trend hit a decade back. I scanned the pages and found recipes ranging from the classic brownie to vegan brownies with cocoa nibs and sesame seeds. There are gluten-free brownies, dairy-free brownies, no-bake brownies, balsamic brownies, crunchy brownies, fudgy brownies, raspberry brownies, coconut brownies and, for when you're feeling a bit sluggish, triple espresso brownies.

Despite the latest burst of retail interest in the brownie, this chocolatey treat is really at its best when homemade. But which recipe to choose? I have favourites from cookbook authors Dorie Greenspan and Susan Spungen. Confident that these really are "da best," I bragged about my prowess at brownie-making at my son's daycare, only to find myself organizing a brownie taste test with a few of the teachers who were ready to put their family recipes against mine. No problem, I thought, until my brownies came in last.

The winner, Jane Demers, used a recipe that has been in her family for over half a century, originating at the Royal Savage Inn in New York state. Her mother, Barbara Farrell, starting making these in the 1950s and has been wowing friends, family and her boss ever since. Jane's brother Paul even wrote a poem celebrating his mother's brownies for his parent's 50th wedding anniversary, with lines like "O square shape! Deep, dark, and rich, laden with glaze of chocolate and sugar overwrought ... ." Talk about your hardcore brownie lovers.

Though I'm still sore about losing the competition, I like Jane's recipe because it's just so easy. The batter is mixed up in one pot, which makes it accessible for young bakers. As for the texture, think cakey rather than gooey. My one big protest is that Jane ices her brownies, which I - the brownie purist - consider a big cheat. The debate is still on whether a brownie should be iced (talk about gilding the lily!), but I have to admit, hers won the competition, fair and square.

That said, Jane's brownies are even BETTER if you substitute half the white sugar with brown (making that 1 cup of EACH), decrease the flour to 1 1/2 cups, and cook for 18 minutes on the nose.

Sorry Jane, looks like I win after all...;)

Recipe: Jane's Mother's Brownies