The King Arthur Cookie Companion has an awesome brownie recipe that you can dress up any way you like. This combination is one of their many adaptations, a super fudgy brownie with coffee icing and toffee bits (though in this photo I feel like they look like chopped nuts).

Next time, I might use chocolate-covered toffee bits for even more flavor, because the toffee gets lost a bit against the coffee icing. They still taste amazing, though – are I cannot stress how fudgy they are. Like actual pieces of fudge, in many ways. Enjoy!

Ingredients

For the brownies

• 12 tablespoons butter
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup Dutch-process (aka Hershey’s Special Dark) cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 3 eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup flour

For the icing

• 1 tablespoon espresso powder
• 1 tablespoon hot water
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 – 3 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1/2 cup toffee bits

Preparation

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a 9 x 13 baking tin with foil and spray lightly with baking spray. Sprinkle the bottom with sugar; this is my tip for a slightly crunchy bottom crust that adds a nice texture to otherwise soft treats like brownies.

In a large pot, melt butter over low heat. Stir in sugar and continue heating for another minute while stirring, until the mixture is just hot. Remove from heat and stir in cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder, then whisk in eggs and vanilla extract. Stir in flour, then spread evenly in prepared pan.

Bake for 28-30 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely before icing.

To make icing, combine espresso powder and hot water in a medium bowl. Add powdered sugar and stir; add heavy cream 1 tablespoon at a time to get a drizzly consistency. Spread over brownies, then sprinkle with toffee bits. Let the icing set before cutting. Makes 24.