Simple Brownies with Chocolate Frosting

Ingredients

• 4 oz baker's chocolate unsweetened chopped
• 0.8 cup butter 
• 4 large eggs 
• 1 cup flour all-purpose
• 1.5 cups pecans coarsely chopped
• 2 cups sugar 

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• sauce pan
• oven
• knife
• whisk
• wire rack
• hand mixer
• microwave

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 35
2. Bake pecans in a single layer in a shallow pan 6 to 8 minutes or until lightly toasted and fragrant.
3. Microwave chocolate and butter in a large microwave-safe bowl at HIGH 1 to 1 1/2 minutes or until melted and smooth, stirring at 30-second intervals.
4. Whisk in sugar and eggs until well blended. Stir in flour.
5. Spread batter into a greased 13- x 9-inch pan.
6. Bake at 350 for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
7. Prepare Chocolate Frosting.
8. Pour over warm brownies; spread to edges.
9. Sprinkle with pecans.
10. Let cool 1 hour on a wire rack.
11. Cut into squares.
12. Try these twists!
13. Mississippi Mud Brownies: Prepare recipe as directed through Step
14. Sprinkle warm brownies with toasted pecans and 3 cups miniature marshmallows. Prepare Chocolate Frosting as directed, and pour over pecans and marshmallows. Cool 1 hour on a wire rack.
15. Cut into squares.
16. Caramel-Pecan Brownies: Prepare recipe as directed through Step Cool 1 hour on a wire rack.
17. Combine 1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar, 1/2 cup milk, 2 Tbsp. butter, and 1/4 tsp. salt in a large saucepan; bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes or until slightly thickened.
18. Remove from heat.
19. Let stand 5 minutes. Beat in 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar and 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth.
20. Pour over brownies, spreading to edges; sprinkle with toasted pecans. Cool 30 minutes. Hands-on time: 25 min; Total time: 2 hr., 20 min.
21. Marbled Brownies: Omit pecans and Chocolate Frosting. Preheat oven to 32
22. Prepare batter as directed; spread half of batter into greased pan. Beat 1 (8-oz.) package softened cream cheese, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 egg yolk, and 1 tsp. vanilla extract at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Dollop cream cheese mixture over brownie batter in pan. Dollop with remaining brownie batter, and swirl together using a paring knife.
23. Bake 35 to 40 minutes. Cool 1 hour on a wire rack. Hands-on time: 30 min. Total time: 2 hr., 5 min.