It seems as though I did nothing but cook over what
should have been a restful birthday weekend. I wanted to have a lot of meals
prepared to take to my dad that I could deliver when we had lunch on Friday, as
well as the yummy desserts that he loves. Last Thursday I made Texas Sheet Cake
Brownies to take to dad's. I don't like Texas Sheet Cake (That, of course, begs
the question as to why I would make these, for which I have no answer.), but
liked the ease (They don't call me "Easy Pattie" for nothing.) and,
of course, had to put my own special spin on them. I mean, why use a tablespoon
of brewed coffee when a bottle of Kahlúa is calling your name?
I also don't particularly care for brownies (Again, not liking
Texas Sheet Cake and brownies, one really has to wonder why I made this
recipe.), because they never seem to have the density, chewiness, or rich
chocolate taste that I'm looking for. This recipe looked like it had
possibilities; with my Kahlúa addition in both the cake and frosting, I think I
have reached brownie perfection. They are a little bit of work because you have
to make cooked frosting, but, hey, brownies need frosting. These are
decadent; you are
going to find yourself in chocolate heaven. I topped them with crushed
Butterfinger bars to take them right over the top.
A word about the pictures: I totally forgot to photograph them on
the day that I made them when the frosting was smooth and creamy. Instead,
these hung out in the fridge for a couple of days. Yours are going to look a
heck of a lot prettier than these.
Texas
Sheet Cake Brownies
Adapted from Averiecooks.com
Brownies
1 stick
unsalted butter
6 ounces dark
or bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 large eggs
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon Kahlúa
1
tablespoon coffee
1 teaspoon instant espresso granules
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2
teaspoon salt
Frosting
½ stick unsalted butter
3 tablespoons whole milk
3 tablespoons unsweetened dark
cocoa powder
1 3/4 to 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon Kahlúa
To Make Brownies:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an
8-inch square pan with aluminum foil leaving a 2”overhang on each end (for
easy lifting), and spray with cooking spray; set aside.
Place butter and chocolate into a large
microwave-safe bowl, and heat on high power to melt, about 2 minutes, stirring
at 30-second increments. Allow mixture to cool momentarily before adding the
eggs so they don’t curdle.
Add the eggs, sugar, Kahlúa, coffee, and espresso granules, and
whisk vigorously to combine. Add flour and salt, and stir until smooth and
combined without overmixing.
Pour batter into prepared pan, smoothing
the top lightly with a spatula as necessary.
Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until
center has just set and is no longer glossy. A toothpick should come out clean
or with a few moist crumbs, but no batter. Allow brownies to cool in pan
on top of a wire rack while you make the frosting.
To Make Frosting:
In a medium saucepan place butter,
milk, and cocoa powder, and heat over medium-high to melt butter. Whisk
constantly until butter has melted. Allow mixture to come to a boil and
boil for about 15 seconds before removing from the heat.
Add 1 3/4 cups confectioners’ sugar (more if you like it thicker) and Kahlúa, and whisk until smooth and
combined.
Pour frosting on top of brownies, using
a spatula to spread.
Allow brownies to cool, uncovered,
for at least 1 hour before slicing and serving. Brownies will
keep airtight at room temp for up to 1 week, in the fridge for up to 2 weeks,
or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
This post is linked to:
This post contains affiliate links.
