In our house, I bake brownies when someone has earned enough brownie points. Any good deeds are noted and sometimes, the time just seems right…could be a Valentine’s Day treat!
This recipe was given to me by my mother. The key to Chocolate Brownies, is to cook them until they are just barely cooked in the centre. If there are a few crumbs on the tester, then you only need one more minute to finish them. If they are overcooked, they will be dry and tough.
The Chocolate Frosting recipe is a very versatile one. It makes enough to frost a two layer cake, but I generally use it for Brownies….too much icing you say? I agree, but fortunately it freezes beautifully and when microwaved is just like fresh icing again.
Chocolate Brownies
These Chocolate Brownies and Chocolate Frosting are a sweet and satisfying dessert or snack.
Equipment
- 1 8 inch square glass pyrex dish
Ingredients
- ½ cup salted butter - room temperature
- 1 cup granulated white sugar
- 2 large eggs - beaten
- ⅔ cup all purpose flour
- 4 heaping tsp cocoa powder
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 ℉. Grease an 8 inch square glass Pyrex dish with butter (use wax paper with soft butter on it to grease the dish)
- Using an electric beater, cream together the sugar and butter. Add the 2 beaten eggs, flour, cocoa, vanilla and salt. Sir until nicely combined.
- Spread in the bottom of the Pyrex dish.
- Bake 20 – 25 minutes until just cooked. Overcooking will result in tough dry brownies.
- Ice while warm. Serve plain or with ice cream.
Chocolate Frosting
A very versatile chocolate frosting. It makes enough to frost a two layer cake, but I generally use it for Chocolate Brownies. It freezes beautifully and when microwaved is just like fresh icing again.
Ingredients
- ½ cup soft salted butter
- 1 tsp pure vanilla
- 4 cups icing sugar
- 6 tbsp cocoa powder
- 4 – 5 tbsp warm milk
Instructions
- Cream butter with beaters. Beat in vanilla and cocoa. Warm the milk in the microwave for about 30 seconds.
- Blend in icing sugar alternately with milk. Beat until smooth and of good spreading consistency. Add more icing sugar or milk to get the right consistency. (should be the consistency of soft butter).
- Makes sufficient to ice top, sides and middle of two layer cake.
Notes
If using this recipe to frost Chocolate Brownies, then put the remaining icing in a container and freeze. When you need to use it again, it can be heated in the microwave.