Iced Brandy Brownies

Recipe courtesy of South of the Fork, Cookbook

Ingredients

Brownies
3/4 cup sifted flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup honey
2 Tbsp coffee
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
6 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups pecans, chopped
2 Tbsp brandy

Icing
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups confectioner’s sugar, sifted

Chocolate Topping
3 oz semisweet chocolate
1 1/2 Tbsp water
2 Tbsp butter

Instructions

1. To prepare brownies: preheat oven to 325°. Grease 9x9-inch baking pan.
2. Sift flour, baking powder and salt together.
3. In a medium saucepan over moderate heat, combine coffee, honey, butter and chocolate Stir until melted. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Add the eggs one at a time mixing well after each addition. Add flour mixture and beat until smooth. Stir in nuts and pour into prepared pan.
4. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and brush brandy over hot cake. Cool completely.
5. Spread icing over cake, smoothing the top. Chill until icing is set.
6. Drizzle chocolate topping decoratively over icing and chill to set before cutting into bars. 
7. To prepare icing: In the small bowl of electric mixer beat butter. Add vanilla and gradually add sugar beating until soft and fluffy Spread over cooled brownies. 
8. To prepare topping: Combine ingredients in the top of a double boiler over simmering water and stir occasionally until melted. Drizzle over iced brownies. 

Makes 18