Recipe Touchdown!!

Dinner Club met last night and the theme was tailgating.  B and I decided to bring regular and tomatillo salsa since we have a plethora of tomatoes and tomatillos in the garden right now.  I thought our first batch of tomatillow salsa was better, but this one seemed to go over well too.  I also really, really wanted to bake something (it's hard to bake regularly when you can't eat much of what you make!), so I decided to make my favorite King Arthur brownie recipe and then used their buttercream frostings (chocolate and vanilla) to make the brownie pictured above!  Didn't it turn out so well?  I love the way it looks, and according to the group and the husby, it was quite delish as well!

Below is the recipe for the brownies and the frosting.  The brownies are my favorite brownies I have made (and I've tried a LOT of recipes).  This was my first experience with making buttercream frosting, and since it's pretty much all dairy, I couldn't try it, but it got rave reviews from the dinner club and from work (I took a pan in to them today too!)

King Arthur Brownie Recipe

6 oz unsweetened baking chocolate

12 tablespoons unsalted butter

5 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 cups sugar

1/3 cup light corn syrup (Karo syrup)

1 1/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

In a medium sized saucepan, melt the chocolate and butter together over low heat.  Set aside to cool slightly

In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs, vanilla, salt, sugar, and orn syrup together until light and fluffy, which takes a few minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375; lightly grease a 9x13 pan.

Stir the flour mixture into the chocolate and butter mixture.  Fold the chocolate batter into the egg mixture, stirring to combine. 

Spread the batter in the pan.  For an extra glossy top, brush with one tablespoon of milk.  Bake the brownies for 35 minutes; the top should be crisp, but a toothpick inserted in the center will come out coated with chocolate.  Remove the brownies from the oven and let them cool for several hours before cutting into squares.

Vanilla Buttercream (for the green corners and the piping)

5 1/3 tablespoons butter

1/3 cup vegetable shortening

1/8 tsp salt

4 to 5 cups confectioners sugar, sifted

2 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 to 1/3 cup milk or cream

In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter, shortening and salt until fluffy.  Add about half the confectioners sugar and beat slowly until well blended.  Add the vanilla and half the milk and beat until fluffy.  Continue mixing the sugar and milk alternately until they've been completely incorporated and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy.

Chocolate Buttercream (for the football)

1/2 cup unsweetened, bittersweet, or semisweet chocolate, chopped

4 tablespoons butter

1/8 tsp salt

4 to 5 cups confectioners sugar, sifted

2 tsp vanilla

6 tablespoons milk or cream

Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and using medium power in the microwave, melt the chocolate about three quarters of the way.  Remove from the heat or microwave and stir the chocolate until it's completely smooth.  Set aside to cool.

In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter and salt until fluffy.  Add about half of the confectioners sugar and beat slowly until well blended.  Add the vanilla and half the milk and beat until fluffy.  Add the melted chocolate and mix until thoroughly blended.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the remaining sugar and milk alternately until they've been completely incorporated.  Beat until the frosting is light and fluffy, adjusting the consistency with sugar or milk as needed.

If you're headed to a tailgate or over to someone's house to watch the game, definitely give this recipe a try!  It's a cute way to jazz up a great brownie recipe, and the football could be personalized for any team!  Oh, and this would be adorable for a little boy's birthday party!!!!