Joanne Fluke's Lake Eden Cookbook Part 59

Put the pecans, coconut and the half-cup of white chocolate chips in a food processor. Chop them all together with the steel blade. (If you don't have a food processor, you don't have to buy one just for this recipe chop everything up as well as you can with a sharp knife.) Mix in the chopped ingredients, give a final stir, and spread the batter out in your prepared pan.

Bake at 350 degrees F. for 30 minutes. DO NOT OVERBAKE.

Cool the Blonde Brownies in the pan on a wire rack. When they're thoroughly cool, grasp the edges of the foil and lift the brownies out of the pan. Put them facedown on a cutting board, peel the foil off the back, and cut them into brownie-sized pieces.

Place the squares on a plate and dust lightly with powdered sugar.

Jo Fluke's Note: I developed these Blonde Brownies for Laura Levine's party when she launched the third book in her Jaine Austen mystery series, Killer Blonde.

*BOURBON BROWNIES.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F., rack in the middle position.

1 package of family style brownie mix (the kind that makes

a 9-inch by 13-inch cake pan or TWO packages that

make 8-inch by 8-inch pans of brownies)62

cup chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans, whatever you like)

cup bourbon

cup b.u.t.ter, softened (1 stick, 4 ounces, pound)

2 cups sifted powdered (confectioner's) sugar

3 Tablespoons bourbon

Hannah's 1st Note: Of course you can use your favorite brownie recipe and make your own if you wish.

Hannah's 2nd Note: Bertie says to use a good brand of bourbon in these brownies. They'll taste a lot better.

Grease and flour (or spray with Pam or another nonstick cooking spray) a 9-inch by 13-inch cake pan.

Mix up the brownies, following the directions on the package.

Add the nuts and bake at 325 degrees F. for 35 to 40 minutes.

When the baking time is up, remove the pan from the oven the cool the brownies in the pan on a wire rack or set them on a cold burner on the stovetop to cool.

When the brownies are completely cool, use a hatpin, a wooden skewer, a metal cake tester, or anything you can find that has a thin, sharp point. Poke approximately 50 holes down through the brownies in the pan.

Measure out the cup good bourbon and brush it or carefully pour it over the top of the brownies, letting it soak into all the holes.

Cover the pan with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, and refrigerate it for one hour.

When an hour's gone by, combine the softened b.u.t.ter, powdered sugar, and the 3 Tablespoons of bourbon in a bowl. Beat the mixture until it's smooth and is the consistency of frosting.

Hannah's 3rd Note: If you think your frosting is too thin to spread, add a little more powdered sugar. If you think it's too thick, add a little more bourbon.

Spread the frosting on top of the brownies as evenly as possible.

Sneak one brownie just for you and then cover the pan with foil or plastic wrap. Return it to the refrigerator until you're ready to serve the Bourbon Brownies.

To serve, cut into brownie-sized pieces and arrange them on a pretty platter.

Hannah's 4th Note: You'd better have plenty of strong coffee to serve with these!

CHOCOLATE HIGHLANDER COOKIE BARS.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F., rack in middle position.

1 cup softened b.u.t.ter (2 sticks, 8 ounces pound)

cup powdered sugar (don't sift)

teaspoon salt

2 cups flour (don't sift pack it down in the cup when you

measure it)

1 cup melted b.u.t.ter, cooled to room temperature (2 sticks,

8 ounces pound)

1 cup white (granulated) sugar

4 beaten eggs (just whip them up in a gla.s.s with a fork)

1 teaspoon baking powder

teaspoon salt

cup flour (don't sift pack it down in the cup when you

measure it)

2 and cups chocolate chips

cup powdered (confectioner's) sugar to sprinkle on top of the pan FIRST STEP: Prepare a 9-inch by 13-inch cake pan by lining it with a piece of heavy duty foil large enough to flap over the sides. Spray the foil-lined pan with Pam or another nonstick cooking spray.

SECOND STEP: Mix the softened b.u.t.ter with the powdered sugar and the salt. Beat them until they're light and fluffy. Add the flour, one cup at a time, mixing after each cup. Dump the mixture into your prepared pan and pat it smooth with your impeccably clean hands.

Bake at 350 degrees F. for 15 minutes. This is the shortbread crust. Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire rack or a cold stovetop burner. (Don't turn off oven!) THIRD STEP: Combine the melted b.u.t.ter with the white sugar in your original mixing bowl. (No need to wash it.) Mix in the beaten eggs. Add the baking powder, salt, and flour. Mix thoroughly. (A hand mixer will do the job if you're tired of stirring.) Melt the chocolate chips in a saucepan on the stovetop over LOW heat, or place them in a small microwave-safe bowl and cook for 3 minutes on HIGH. (Be sure to stir after 3 minutes - chips may maintain their shape even after they're melted.) Add the melted chocolate chips to your bowl and mix them in thoroughly.

Pour this mixture on top of the shortbread crust you just baked and tip the pan so that it's evenly distributed. Stick the pan back into the oven and bake it at 350 degrees F. for another 25 minutes. Then remove the pan from the oven and sprinkle on additional powdered sugar.

Let the Chocolate Highlander Cookie Bars cool thoroughly and then tip them out of the pan, pull the foil from the back, flip them right side up again, and cut them into brownie-sized pieces. You can refrigerate these, after you cut them.

Hannah's Note: Andrea said these were so rich, no one could eat more than one, but I watched her eat three when she thought I wasn't looking.

CHOCOLATE OVERLOAD COOKIE BARS.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F., rack in the middle position.

FOR THE CRUST:.

1 and cups all-purpose flour (don't sift pack it down