RECIPE: "Triple Threat" Chocolate Brownie Cookie Bars

 

You have seen the photos..3 wonderful layers of oooey gooeyness, made with Dutch unsweetened cocoa powder, Belgium Chocolate and dark 80% chocolate, dark brown sugar, butter and lots of love.

 This recipe makes 12 lovely large bars..or you can halve the recipe and just make 6, but why would you?
Preheat oven 350F

using a 11 x 7 1/2 x 1 1/2  roasting pan or oven proof dish, buttered.

base:
2 cups steel cut oats (or rolled old fashioned)
1 cup flour..wholewheat
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
6 tbsp melted butter

mix first 4 ingredients together in bowl and add 1/2 tsp salt and the melted butter, and 2 tsp coconut extract ( or vanilla)
Pat into the baking dish making an even layer, just pat down don't flatten.
Bake middle oven 15 mins.
Remove and set aside to cool.

Middle layer:
1 1/2 cups sugar ( brown sugar makes it caramelly)
1/2 cup melted butter
4 ozs dark chocolate, chopped and melted, cooled slightly
2 large eggs
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour (if using whole wheat add extra milk)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup milk
3 tbsp Dutch/unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup walnut/pecan pieces (optional)
1 cup chocolate chips
Method:
Stir together all the dry ingredients and set aside
Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, add the eggs and melted chocolate and continue beating for 2 mins.
Add the vanilla to the milk
Mix the wet and chocolate mix to the flour, alternately, mixing well after each addition.
Fold in the nuts and chocolate chips, well.

Spread the batter over the base, and smooth the top.
Bake middle oven for about 35 mins, until top is almost set..it will set up as it cools.

variations add any type of chocolate chips.
Add ground coffee, 1/4 cup for Espresso brownies, top with mocha frosting.
Add fresh fruit on top of cooked base before adding topping. sliced bananas, berries & etc.

Cool in the pan on a wire, when cool enough cut into bars (this helps keep the frosting clean).
Frost with desired frosting, chocolate, caramel, pecan,coconut-pecan caramel as in German Chocolate cake is wonderful, sour cream butter cream, mocha frosting is fab..or better still, Fudge frosting:

in a small heavy bottomed pan:
melt 4 ozs dark chocolate
6 tbsp butter
over low heat.
Remove from heat, stir in 4 cups powdered sugar, and add 2 tbsp hot water to make almost a pourable consistency.
Spread on top of cooled, cut brownies 

Variations for Mocha fudge frosting, add 3 tbsp instant coffee to the melted chocolate. before adding powdered sugar.