Recipe: Nutty Clusters with Chocolate Icing

NUTTY CLUSTERS WITH CHOCOLATE ICING

2 squares (1 ounce each) unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup mixed nuts, coarsely chopped
Chocolate Icing (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or foil or leave ungreased.

Melt chocolate in top of double boiler over hot, not boiling, water. Remove from heat; cool.

Beat butter and sugar in large bowl until smooth. Beat in egg, melted chocolate, buttermilk and vanilla until light. Stir in flour, baking soda and nuts. Drop dough by teaspoons 2 inches apart onto cookie sheets.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until almost no imprint remains when touched. Immediately remove cookies from cookie sheet to wire rack.

While cookies bake, prepare Chocolate Icing. Frost cookies while still warm

CHOCOLATE ICING

2 squares1ounce each) unsweetened chocolate
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 cups powdered sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons water

Melt chocolate and butter in small heavy saucepan over low heat, stirring until completely melted.

Add powdered sugar, and water, mixing until smooth.

Makes 4 dozen cookies
Source: Favorite Brand Name Bake Sale Cookbook