Brownies

Now here's a book to diet for--75 shamelessly rich recipes that will propel brownie lovers to the kitchen to grab the chocolate and start baking. There's a chocolate cake brownie for those of the ``light and crumbly'' school, while bakers who prefer the moist and dense varieties will gravitate to Moore's ( Meatloaf ) version of ``your basic evil fudge brownie.'' She goes beyond the basics with cognac-flavored brownies topped with brandy-butter frosting, some surprisingly light cheesecake brownies made with grated lemon peel for a pleasant tang, and even a version flavored with black pepper. A very few recipes, such as triple chocolate pate, are not, strictly speaking, brownies, but chocolate lovers are an indulgent lot and likely will forgive. Moore makes a few stabs at ``healthy brownies,'' but her heart clearly is not in it; decadent flavor wins out every time. For example, the wheat fiber in graham crackers can't hide the eggs, heavy cream and white and brown sugar in her graham cracker brownies. Since the collection could attract inexperienced bakers, it is unfortunate that it includes very little advice on handling chocolate, a procedure that can be tricky for beginners. (Mar.)