Brownie Squares

By Noni

Total Time: 3 hr 25 min
Prep:30 min|
Inactive Prep:2 hr 0 min|
Cook:55 minLevel:IntermediateYield:6 dozen cookiesIngredients

Ingredients

• Crust:
• Ingredients for Basic Butter Cookies, recipe follows
• Brownie filling:
• 1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter
• 10 1/2 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), chopped
• 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons Dutch-process unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups walnuts (6 ounces; optional), toasted, cooled, and coarsely chopped

Preparation

Step 1

Directions
To make the crust: Grease a 13 by 9-inch metal baking pan, then line with foil,
leaving a 2-inch overhang on both ends, and grease foil.
Follow recipe for basic butter cookies to make dough (do not chill), then press
dough evenly onto bottom of baking pan, using plastic wrap on top to prevent
dough from sticking to your fingers, and chill until firm, about 20 minutes.
While crust chills, put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375
degrees F.
Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Cool crust in pan on a rack 20
minutes. (Leave oven on.)
To make brownie filling while crust cools: Melt butter and chocolate with brown
sugar in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring occasionally,
until smooth. Remove from heat, then whisk in eggs and vanilla until combined
well. Whisk in flour, cocoa, and salt, then stir in walnuts (if using).
Spread brownie batter over cooled crust and bake until set, about 20 minutes.
Cool completely in pan on rack, about 1 1/2 hours.
Run a heavy knife under hot water and wipe dry, then cut confection into 1-inch
squares. Brownie squares keep, layered between sheets of waxed paper or
parchment, in an airtight container at roomPrintable AreaPage 2 of 2Brownie
Squares (cont.)
temperature 1 week.

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