Recipe: Five-Way Fudge Brownies and Chocolate Glaze (caramel-nut, peanut butter, chocolate chunk, and creme de menthe)

FIVE-WAY FUDGE BROWNIES

1/2 cup butter or margarine
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 recipe Chocolate Glaze (optional, recipe follows)
Powdered sugar (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x9x2-inch baking pan; set aside.

In a medium saucepan melt butter or margarine and chocolate over low heat. Stir in granulated sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Using a wooden spoon, beat lightly by hand just until combined. Stir in flour. Spread batter in prepared pan.

Bake in a 350-degree F oven for 20 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack.

Spread Chocolate Glaze over the cooled brownies, if desired. Cut into bars. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

CHOCOLATE GLAZE

3 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

In a saucepan cook and stir butter, cocoa powder, and milk until mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat. Stir in powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth.

VARIATIONS:

CARAMEL-NUT BROWNIES:
Prepare Five-Way Fudge Brownies as directed, except stir 1/2 cup chopped pecans into the batter before spreading in the prepared pan. Sprinkle batter with 1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate pieces. Bake as directed.

In a small saucepan combine one (6 1/4-ounce) package vanilla caramels and 2 tablespoons milk. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until smooth. Drizzle the caramel atop brownies. Cool completely. Cut into bars.

PEANUT BUTTER BROWNIES:
Prepare Five-Way Fudge Brownies as directed. For frosting, in a medium mixing bowl beat 1/4 cup peanut butter until fluffy. Gradually add 1 cup sifted powdered sugar, beating well. Beat in 1/4 cup milk and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Gradually beat in about 1/2 cup additional sifted powdered sugar until the frosting is easy to spread. Spread frosting atop brownies and sprinkle with 1/4 cup finely chopped dry-roasted peanuts. Cool completely. Cut into bars.

CHOCOLATE CHUNK BROWNIES:
Prepare Five-Way Fudge Brownies as directed, except stir in one 2.2-ounce bar milk chocolate, coarsely chopped, and 2 ounces white baking bar, coarsely chopped, into the batter.

CREME DE MENTHE BROWNIES:
Prepare Five-Way Fudge Brownies as directed, except omit vanilla and stir 1/4 teaspoon mint extract into batter. Bake as directed. For frosting, in a medium mixing bowl beat 1/4 cup butter or margarine until fluffy. Gradually add 1 cup sifted powdered sugar. Beat in 2 tablespoons creme de menthe. Gradually beat in about 1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar until the frosting is easy to spread. Spread atop brownies. In a small heavy saucepan melt 1 ounce semisweet chocolate over low heat. Drizzle atop brownies. Let chocolate set, then cut into bars.

MAKE-AHEAD TIP:
Prepare any of the brownie variations as directed, except line the pan with foil, extending foil over the edges of the pan. Grease the foil instead of the pan. Continue as directed; bake and cool completely. Do not frost. Using the edges of the foil, lift the uncut brownies out of the pan and place in a freezer container or bag and freeze up to 1 month. Before serving, thaw for 1 hour. Frost and cut as directed.

Source: Better Homes & Gardens