Best Brownies

I know the adjective "best" is a dangerous one. Especially when it comes to food. Because food is such a personal thing and preference has more to do with it than any of the ingredients in a recipe. So let me rename this recipe. Best Combination Fudgy Brownies with Rich Frosting That I Have Made. There, that is a little harder to argue with.

But really. These are some good brownies. And make sure to use the frosting (see revised title). They are so rich, I can't eat more than one. They are made in a saucepan, which is kind of unique. But they are not difficult, so don't get nervous.

I made these to bring to an event. I brought them in the cutest box (a box I saved after getting a package in the mail because I knew this box would be perfect to carry baked goods) and they were a big hit.

For Brownies:

1/2 cup butter

 1 cup white sugar

 2 eggs, beaten in separate bowl

 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

 1/4 teaspoon salt

 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

For Frosting:

½ cup butter

2 Tablespoons cocoa powder

3 Tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 cups powdered sugar (I think… I just dumped it in from the bag)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour an 8 inch square pan.

In a large saucepan, melt butter. Remove from heat, and stir in sugar and vanilla. Add a few spoonfuls of the hot butter/sugar mixture to the eggs in a separate bowl, beat. We do this to slowly heat up the eggs. If we add the eggs to the pan right away, we would get scrambled eggs. Once eggs are warmer, slowly beat them into the butter/sugar mixture in the saucepan. Beat in cocoa, flour, salt, and baking powder. Spread batter into prepared pan.

Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Do not overcook.

For Frosting:

 Using a clean saucepan, melt butter. Add cocoa and let boil for 30 seconds. Remove from heat and add milk and vanilla. Stir in powdered sugar a cup at a time until you get a smooth mixture. It will not be stiff like a normal frosting, it will look more like hot fudge. Pour over warm brownies. Eat warm if you want a delicious mess, or let it cool for an hour.