These Brownies Are Like A Little Slice Of Heaven

My best food insurance is a perfect brownie recipe.

I can ruin the rice, the meat can bounce right off the plate, but when I serve this dessert, the rest of the meal fades in a fog. With the first bite of Chocolate Brownie Heaven, all else is forgotten.

As pearls accessorize a classic black dress, a little frosting dresses up this confection. The result is a double whammy of chocolate - intense, bittersweet flavor in the brownies and tangy cream cheese and chocolate on top.

The only disadvantage to this recipe, as if it were truly a problem, is the yield: nine servings. If you’re baking these brownies for two, you’d better freeze some for later.

Line the pan with buttered foil, then add the batter. Bake and frost as directed. Cut into nine bars. Using the foil, ease the brownies from the pan. Go over the cut lines and separate the brownies. Place on a baking sheet and freeze until firm, about two hours.

Remove brownies and wrap each separately in plastic wrap and wrap again in foil. To serve, remove foil and plastic wrap while brownies are frozen. Thaw at room temperature.

The brownies will keep in the freezer at least two months - but only if your willpower is strong.

Chocolate Brownie Heaven

These brownies are fudge-like when chilled. For ease in serving, pre-cut brownies as soon as they’re frosted and refrigerate at least 1 hour for frosting to firm up.

1 cup unsalted butter

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate

1-1/2 cups sugar

3 eggs, beaten

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup flour

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe follows)

Combine butter and chocolate in top of double boiler set over simmering water. Allow to melt, stirring occasionally. Remove pan from bottom of double boiler. Add sugar to butter mixture and stir well to blend. Beat in eggs until smooth. Add salt and flour and stir well to blend. Stir in vanilla extract.

Spoon batter into greased and floured 8-inch square cake pan. Bake brownies at 350 degrees until top is glossy and firm, about 40 minutes. Cool completely. Frost with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting.

Yield: 9 servings.

Nutrition information per serving, including frosting: 584 calories, 36 grams fat (53 percent fat calories), 6 grams protein, 63 grams carbohydrate, 143 milligrams cholesterol, 143 milligrams sodium.

Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

2 tablespoons butter

1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese

2 ounces semisweet chocolate, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup powdered sugar

Beat together butter and cream cheese in bowl of electric mixer. When light, stir in chocolate and vanilla.

Mix until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in powdered sugar until frosting is light and creamy.