MRS. FIELDS TWICE - TOPPED BROWNIES

I don't remember the last time I made so many different brownie recipes in such a short period of time. I still have one more good one (it's more of a cake-like brownie) recipe to share with you that I made when my family all got together a week or so ago.

If you remember I was requested to bring dessert ... specifically an apple pie and brownies. First, I found an apple pie recipe that sounded good that had butterscotch in the crumb topping. (Butterscotch Crumb Apple Pie) (I asked to make sure this was okay before I made it.) Then I started looking for brownie recipes. I found this one called Twice-Topped Brownies in Mrs. Fields I love Chocolate! Cookbook. They sounded and looked delicious! Like I did with the apple pie I checked with the family first and was told they wanted plain brownies. (Maybe that choice came more from the kiddos than the parents? Not sure.) But aiming to please, I put it aside and looked for recipes for plain brownies.

Fourth of July weekend we were invited to several celebration gatherings that required my bringing a dish to share with the others. The first one my husband wanted me to make potato salad. I don't make potato salad much anymore since we try to only eat sweet potatoes, but I had made some a week earlier for a Sunday school picnic and it tasted so good. You can check out my post for Southern Potato Salad that I shared years ago with my friend Sandy's recipe. I don't really use a recipe (one of the few dishes I make without one) but we basically make it the same.

Guess what I decided to make for the other gathering. If you said, "Mrs. Fields Twice-Topped Brownies", you are right. I had to hurry up the process because I didn't make them until after we got home from church and lunch, but they turned out even better than I could ever have imagined. They are definitely my all-time favorite brownie recipe now.

TWICE-TOPPED BROWNIES

BROWNIE LAYER

4       ounces unsweetened chocolate
1       stick (1/2 cup) salted butter (I did use unsalted)
3/4    cup all-purpose flour
1/4    teaspoon salt
2       large eggs
1       cup (packed) light brown sugar
2       teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2    cup chopped pecans
1/2    cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

VANILLA CREAM

1         stick (1/2 cup) salted butter (once again I used unsalted butter)
4         ounces cream cheese, softened (I used 1/3 less fat)
1         teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/4   cups confectioners' sugar (I sifted the sugar before measuring.)

CHOCOLATE DRIZZLE

2        ounces semisweet chocolate chips
2        tablespoons heavy cream (I only had skim milk which made my drizzle a little thinner.)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Butter a 7 x 11 - inch baking pan.

Prepare the brownie layer:

In a double boiler, melt the unsweetened chocolate and butter together,

stirring until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.

In a medium bowl, beat the eggs and brown sugar together.

Beat in the chocolate mixture and the vanilla.

Stir in the flour mixture.

Then stir in the pecans and mini chocolate chips.

Spread the batter in the prepared pan and bake for 22 to 25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. (I cooked mine the full 25 minutes.) Cool in the pan on a rack.

Make the vanilla cream:

In a medium bowl, cream the butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy.

Gradually beat in the vanilla and confectioners' sugar.

Spread the vanilla cream over the cooled brownies. Refrigerate until set.

(As I mentioned above I hurried the process along. I made the vanilla cream while the brownies were baking. I then put the mixture in the refrigerator to get cold until the brownies cooled enough to frost them.)

Prepare the drizzle: 

In a double boiler, melt the chocolate chips and cream over hot, not simmering water. (I just melted mine in the microwave). Stir until smooth, then set aside to cool slightly. Dip a fork into the melted chocolate mixture and drizzle in a random pattern over the vanilla cream layer.

(I wasn't quite so successful with my drizzle - partly because I don't do it enough to have perfected the process and secondly I used milk instead of cream so my mixture was thinner. I have a small bottle I used and it was working fine until a blob came out. But you know what? I doubt anyone noticed it at the party.)

Chill until ready to serve. (I couldn't do this so my vanilla cream was softer, but still tasted great.) Love the combination of the flavors.