Big, Fat and Moist Brownies

So when it comes to brownies there seems to be two 'camps'.   The dense fudgey brownie camp and the fluffier cake-like brownie camp.  Well, these recipe is sure to make both camps happy.  This brownie is a cross between the two styles of brownie.  

I was really pleased with the results.  The recipe was super easy to follow and this make for a perfect last minute dessert since these are staple items in my pantry anyway.... These are perfect for the family, a pot luck or a school bake sale!

This recipe is courtesy of  Cocinando con Alena.  
I found this recipe on Pinterest 

. Big, Fat, Moist Brownies

Ingredients:

• 1 c butter (melted)
• 1 c flour
• 2 c sugar
• 3/4 c dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the icing/frosting :

• 1/2 c butter
• 3 1/2 c confectioner's sugar (aka icing sugar)
• 1/4 c cocoa powder
• 1 egg
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 tsp lemon juice

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees (F) and grease a 8" x 11" baking pan.  In my oven, these had to bake for 45 minutes.  I would start with 35 minutes and then check - my oven ALWAYS takes longer.  

Sift together the dry ingredients. Add the butter and vanilla, then add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for about 30 minutes. Set on a wire rack (pan and all) to cool.

Make the frosting: Melt the butter over medium heat, then add the remaining ingredients, whisking until smooth and thickened. Pour over still-warm brownies. Allow the frosting to set before slicing.

So a few questions - 

1 - What is Dutch-process cocoa powder?  It's unsweetened cocoa powder.  Be sure to use unsweetened, otherwise these brownies will be ridiculously sweet.  Be sure to use the unsweetened cocoa in the icing too.

2 - Can you freeze these? Yes, you can freeze brownies but a few tips....cut them into bars before freezing and icing does not freeze well, so if you plan on freezing these delicious brownies - don't ice them and be sure to slice them!

3 - I am not strong at making icing/frosting, should I just skip it? I have never been good at making icing (I usually buy it) but I followed this recipe step by step and wow, perfect icing!  I don't normally ice brownies but I did this time - it was a really nice treat for the whole family

4 - What type of sugar do I use?  when it comes to baking brown sugar gives the chewiness and white sugar gives the crispiness.  So for this recipe, I used 1 cup of brown sugar and 1 cup of white.  You can modify the sugar ratio to what you prefer but I would suggest at least 1/2 cup of brown sugar.