EQUIPMENT

EDGE BROWNIE PAN

You might say the Edge Brownie Pan is about to turn a corner.

It has been about a year since former urban planner Matthew Griffin started selling his mazelike invention, which delivers more crust per square inch to baked brownies, bar cookies, breads and cakes than does a standard 9-by-13-inch pan. A few specialty retailers and plenty of online buzz have prompted positive reviews from America's Test Kitchen, Fine Cooking magazine and newspapers.

The smooth, rounded channels of the 9-by-12-inch pan reduce the baking expanses that can lead to soggy centers. Testers report faster, more even baking. The pan's offset handles are a thoughtful nod.

Indianapolis residents Griffin, 32, and his pastry chef wife, Emily, began developing their product almost a decade ago with the premise that chewy edges are premium brownie real estate. (Read their success story at http://www.gildedfork.com/artisancorner/bakers-edge-306.html.) They've sold about 5,000 of the nonstick cast-aluminum pans, which are manufactured by Nordicware. In the works: tweaking the design to build a better lasagna pan and getting the Edge Brownie Pan into more stores. Griffin hopes to meet with representatives from Sur La Table and Cooking.com at the 2007 International Home & Housewares Show in March.

The pan costs about $35, with spatula. For recipes and to order online, go to http://www.bakersedge.com or http://www.bakerscatalogue.com.

-- Bonnie S. Benwick