So you think you can bake, eh? Well then, I dare you to try out these mocha chocolate brownies and prove to yourself that you still have the baking mojo. This is a fairly easy recipe, so if you take on the challenge, I advise you, once you take them out of the oven, use a fan to disperse the wonderful smell in the house and let the flocks of people come grab some mocha brownies.  Be sure to sprinkle the top with delicious chocolate wafers for presentation. The real test is to see if they are all eaten within the first night, then you know you hit a winner! Go ahead and test yourself. The least that you will end up with is a batch of brownies for yourself at the end of the day.

Makes one 13inch X 9-inch pan and serves 16-20 people.

Ingredients:

Brownies:

1/8 tsp              Salt
2/3 cup             All purpose flour
¼ cup               Cocoa powder
1 cup                Sugar
1/3 cup             Butter
2                      Eggs, beaten
1/3 cup             Milk or cream (cream will be a bit richer than milk)
1 tsp                 Vanilla
¾ cup               Chopped walnuts or pecans

Icing:

3 tbsp               Cocoa powder
2 tbsp               Butter, melted (heat for 20 seconds, check if melted, repeat for 10 seconds)
1 tsp                 Instant coffee granules
2 tsp                 Vanilla
3 tbsp               Milk or cream
1 tbsp               Sugar
1 ½ cups          Piroulines, chopped (chocolate wafers)

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 350F and spray 13X9 inch pan with oil. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper so the brownies do not stick.

Brownies:

• In a medium bowl, whisk together the salt, flour, and cocoa powder. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar for 2-3 minutes. The mixture should look fluffy and light.
• Add the eggs into the sugar mixture and mix until incorporated.
• Add the cream and vanilla.
• Now add the flour mixture until there is no flour remaining. Add the walnuts or pecans or both.
• Pour the mixture into the pan and bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the brownies comes out clean. Let cool on a wite rack for 10 minutes.

Icing:

• In a small bowl, mix together the vanilla and coffee granules so that the coofee granules dissolve in the vanilla. This will help spread the taste of coffee throughout the icing.
• In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients together until they are incorporated and the mixture has a nice and smooth consistency.
• Spread on the cooled brownies.
• Sprinkle the chopped Piroulines on top of the icing right away so they stick on. The Piroulines add crunch and presentation!
• Serve with ice cream and strawberries and enjoy!