Recipe: Iced Buttermilk Brownies

ICED BUTTERMILK BROWNIES

Butter or margarine for greasing pan
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter or margarine (not spread)
3/4 cup water
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/3 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
Buttermilk Icing (recipe follows)
36 espresso beans (optional, for garnish)

Preliminaries: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with butter or margarine.

In a medium saucepan, melt 3/4 cup butter over medium heat. Remove from heat and whisk in water and cocoa powder until smooth. Whisk in sugar, buttermilk, eggs and vanilla until well-blended and smooth.

In a medium bowl, mix flour and baking soda. Whisk flour mixture into cocoa mixture until blended. Batter will be thin. Pour into prepared pan.

Bake 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean and edges begin to pull away from the sides of the pan. Set pan on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes.

MEANWHILE, PREPARE THE ICING:
1/3 cup (5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon) butter or margarine (not spread)
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 cup powdered sugar

In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add buttermilk and cocoa; bring to a boil, whisking until smooth.

Remove from heat and whisk in powdered sugar until no lumps remain.

Pour icing over brownies. Spread evenly with a metal spatula. Chill for at least 2 hours or until icing is set.

Cut into squares. If desired, garnish with chocolate-covered espresso beans, 1 per square.

STORAGE:
Can be stored, airtight in refrigerator, up to five days. If desired, store them in the pan in which they were baked.

Makes 36 squares
Source: The Woman's Day Cookbook by Kathy Farrell-Kingsley and the Editors of Woman's Day