Janelle Cooper’s Graduation Brownies
(with enhancements courtesy of Lindy Cooper Wisdom)
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
2 tsp coarsely ground salt
1 stick butter
1 cup water
4 TBSP Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa Powder
(Lindy: I prefer unsalted butter
I use 3/4 cup water and 1/4 cup Kraken Dark Coffee Rum)
1/2 cup sour cream
2 eggs
1 tsp. baking soda
(Lindy: I add 1/2 tsp. espresso powder and 1/4 cup Skor bits or Heath Bar bits)
In a large bowl, mix sugar, flour and salt.
In a small, heavy saucepan, bring water, butter and cocoa to a boil.
Remove from heat and add to the dry ingredients.
Add sour cream, eggs, soda, espresso powder and Skor bits and mix until well-blended.
Pour into greased and floured 10 x 16 x 2 inch baking pan.
Bake at 375 for 25 minutes.
Frosting:
I stick butter
6 TBSP half and half
4 TBSP Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa Powder
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1 tsp. vanilla
1 lb. (or 4 cups) powdered sugar
(Lindy: I use honey roasted pecan pieces———find them in the salad garnish section)
I add a pinch of espresso powder here as well.)
Cook and stir first three ingredients in the same pan as the first cocoa mixture.
Remove from heat and mix in vanilla, nuts and sugar. Mix until smooth.
Frost brownies as soon as they come out of the oven, while still warm.
(Lindy: Here I sprinkle liberally with Skor bits.)
Let cool, then cover and refrigerate.
Cut, serve and enjoy!