My friend Bob Douglas of Kihei, Maui, is an enthusiastic home cook who is always coming up with new ideas to try. He's got a computer full of recipes and he seems to never run out of them.

He asked my mom to send this one to me — a chocolate brownie that's made in just one mixing bowl, uses ingredients most home cooks have on hand and goes together in minutes. My mom, who loves sweets, confirmed: "It is 'ono."

This recipe is unusual in that it's made in a round pie pan. I tested it that way the first time but I also tested it a second time with a conventional 9-inch-square pan and it works well that way, too. I'd do the pie method and cut it into wedges if I were serving company for dessert. But if I were just making some brownies to take to the office, for example, I'd use the 9-inch pan and cut the brownies into squares.

The recipe uses cocoa, not baking chocolate, and not a lot of it. I wondered if the recipe would be fudgy enough, but it tasted great and got compliments at a party.

Important: Take care not to over- or under-bake this recipe. It bakes at a low temperature. Bake for 35 minutes, then check to see if a toothpick emerges clean; it may need to bake as long as 45 minutes. My first effort was a bit soft (although my husband likes it that way); the second, which baked 45 minutes, was just right.

Pull the butter and eggs out of the fridge 20 minutes or so before you start the recipe to warm to room temperature.

CRUSTLESS FUDGE BROWNIES