Brownie Squares

Christmas is just two days away and I have to say that I'm very prepared this year. My shopping is done, cards mailed, and cookie assortment completed and shared. I have just one gift left to wrap and a dessert to make for Christmas Eve. I think that's pretty darn great for December 23rd. I could get used to not working. But I really shouldn't.

A few years ago Gourmet Magazine featured a basic butter cookie recipe and many cookies that you could make using the butter cookie dough as a base and adding a topping or flavoring to make a whole new cookie. I liked the idea of adding a brownie topping to the butter cookie base since I don't consider brownies to be very festive in and of themselves. By pressing the delicious butter cookie dough into a 9 x 13 inch pan, baking it, and then topping it with a chocolaty brownie and baking it again the normally dull brownie gets a starring role as a cookie. Omit the nuts if you want, but I think they give the cookie some needed crunch.

Basic Butter Cookies

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl.

Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 - 4 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add flour mixture and mix until just combined.

Grease a 9 x 13 inch metal baking pan, then line with foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang on both ends. Then grease foil.

Press dough evenly into bottom of baking pan, using plastic wrap or wax paper on top to keep dough from sticking to your fingers. Chill until firm, about 20 minutes.

As crust chills, preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Bake crust until golden brown, about 20 - 25 minutes. Do not over bake. Remove from oven and cool on wire rack for 20 minutes. Leave oven on.

As crust cools, make the brownie topping.

Brownie Topping

1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter
10 1/2 ounce bittersweet chocolate, chopped (do not use unsweetened)
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons Dutch-processed unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups walnuts, coarsely chopped (toast walnuts by placing them on a baking sheet in a 350 degree oven for 5 - 6 minutes. Check often and shake pan during toasting.)

Melt butter and chocolate with brown sugar in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until smooth. Remove from heat, then whisk in eggs and vanilla until combined well. Whisk in flour, cocoa, and salt, then stir in walnuts (if using).

Spread brownie batter over cooled crust and bake until set, about 20 minutes. Cool completely in pan on rack, about 1 1/2 hours. Lift from pan and using a heavy knife (Chef's knife), cut into 1-inch squares. Running knife under hot water and wiping dry will aid in making clean cuts.

Cookie press rating: 4 cookies (out of 5)