GERMAN CHOCOLATE BROWNIES

OVER THE TOP GERMAN CHOCOLATE BROWNIES
http://nancycreative.com/2012/05/29/over-the-top-german-chocolate-brownies/

These are beyond tasty. Next time I would like them with ice cream to help balance out the sweetness.  I froze half of the pan (cut them into pieces and wrapped individually).  Did the parchment paper idea (see bottom).  Liked how it turned out.

UPDATE: Made these for Scott's bday 2016.  He wanted German Chocolate cake but these are so much easier and taste just as good.  I got chocolate chip ice cream to go with it.  With my serving I would mix the two together.  Yum!  Tasted almost like the germanchocolate ice cream I use to get at Cold Stone that was my favorite.  Probably would have tasted more like it if it was with chocolate ice cream...too much???

Makes a 9×13″ pan 

• 3 (4-ounce) bars of Baker’s® German’s® Sweet Chocolate (a total of 12 ounces; use 2 bars for melting and stirring into batter; coarsely chop the third bar to mix into the batter–or you can omit this chopped chocolate bar if you want)
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (regular or unbleached)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• Coconut Pecan Frosting (see recipe below)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9×13″ baking pan, or line pan and sides with parchment paper (leave a little extra parchment paper sticking out so you can grab edges to lift brownies out of pan after they’re frosted and cooled; the brownies are really easy to cut when they’re out of the pan).
2. Coarsely chop 1 of the 4-ounce bars of chocolate, if using, and also chop enough pecans to equal 1 cup; set these ingredients aside. Note: the chocolate bar will be easier to chop if it’s been chilled in the refrigerator.
3. Microwave 2 of the 4-ounce chocolate bars and butter in a large microwaveable bowl for 1 to 2 minutes or until butter is melted. Remove from microwave and stir chocolate and butter together until chocolate is completely melted.  Add sugar to chocolate-butter mixture, blending well; then add eggs and vanilla, blending well. Add flour, baking powder, and salt, mixing until blended. Then fold in the chopped chocolate, if using, and pecans from Step #2. The batter will be fairly thick.
4. Spread your batter evenly into the prepared 9×13″ pan and bake for 35-38 minutes, or until top middle of brownies is set and toothpick inserted in center comes out almost clean–it won’t come out completely clean because of the chopped chocolate in the batter. If you decide to omit the chopped chocolate in the batter, your baking time may be a little less, like 32-36 minutes. Cool brownies completely before adding the frosting…

COCONUT PECAN FROSTING

• 3 egg yolks
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 (12-ounce) can evaporated milk
• 2 1/2 to 3 cups sweetened flaked coconut
• 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
• added 1/2 cup chocolate chips.  Was good but don't think it is necessary.  Or maybe cocoa would be better and not so rich?

In a medium saucepan, stir together the egg yolks, sugar, butter, vanilla,  and evaporated milk until well blended. Cook this mixture over medium heat for about 15 minutes, stirring constantly, until thick and bubbly. Remove from heat and stir in the flaked coconut and chopped pecans, blending well. Let mixture cool for about 30 minutes, then give it a final stirring and spread evenly over the completely cooled brownies.

Slicing these brownies will be easier and less gooey if you put them in the refrigerator (while still in the pan) for 10-15 minutes, or longer if you want. If you used parchment paper, you can just lift the brownies right out of the pan and slice them on a flat surface…it’s so easy to slice brownies and cookie bars using parchment paper that way!

By the way, I learned something interesting about German Chocolate…I thought it was a type of chocolate originating from Germany, but according to Joy of Baking, it actually is a baking chocolate that was created in 1852 by Samuel German, an employee of Walter Baker & Company. He added sugar to this baking bar so it would be more convenient for bakers to use (as opposed to unsweetened chocolate baking bars). So, the correct name of this chocolate isGerman’s® Sweet Chocolate, and it is still sold by Baker’s®.

If you don’t happen to have German’s® Chocolate on hand for a recipe and you’re in a pinch, you can substitute 1 ounce (30 grams) of bittersweet or semisweet chocolate plus 1/2 tablespoon (7 grams) granulated white sugar for 1 ounce of German’s® Chocolate.