Five-way Fudge Brownies

[Mama Mangia]

FIVE-WAY FUDGE BROWNIES

1/2 c. butter or margarine
2 oz. unsweetened chocolate
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
2/3 c. flour
Chocolate Glaze (see recipe below) (optional)
Confectioners? sugar (optional)

Grease 9x9x2-inch baking pan; set aside. In a medium saucepan melt butter or margarine and chocolate over low heat. Stir in sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Using a wooden spoon, beat lightly by hand just until combined. Stir in flour. Spread batter in prepared pan. Bake 350* F. for 20 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Spread Chocolate Glaze over cooled brownies, if desired. Cut into bars. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

CHOCOLATE GLAZE: In saucepan, cook and stir 3 T. butter or margarine, 2 T. cocoa,, and 2 T. milk until mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat. Stir in 1-1/2 c. sifted confectioners? sugar and 1/2 t. vanilla until smooth.

CARAMEL NUT BROWNIES: Prepare Five-Way Fudge Brownies as directed, except stir 1/2 c. chopped pecans into batter before spreading in pan. Sprinkle batter with 1/2 c. miniature semisweet chocolate pieces. Bake as directed. In a small saucepan combine one 6-1/4-ounce package vanilla caramels and 2 T. milk. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until smooth. Drizzle caramel atop brownies. Cool completely. Cut into bars.

PEANUT BUTTER BROWNIES: Prepare Five-Way Fudge Brownies as directed. For frosting, in a medium mixing bowl beat 1/4 c. peanut butter until fluffy. Gradually add 1 c. sifted confectioners? sugar, beating well. Beat in 1/4 c. milk and 1 t. vanilla. Gradually beat in about 1/2 c. additional sifted confectioners? sugar until frosting is easy to spread. Spread frosting atop brownies and sprinkle with 1/4 c. finely chopped dry-roasted peanuts. Cool completely. Cut into bars.
CHOCOLATE CHUNK BRONWIES: Prepare Five-Way Fudge Brownies as directed, except stir in one 2.2-oz. bar milk chocolate, coarsely chopped, and 2 oz. white baking bar, coarsely chopped, into batter.

CRÈME DE MENTHE BROWNIES: Prepare Five-Way Fudge Brownies as directed, except omit vanilla and stir 1/4 t. mint extract into batter. Bake as directed. For frosting, in a medium mixing bowl beat 1/4 c. butter or margarine until fluffy. Gradually add 1 c. sifted confectioners? sugar. Beat in 2 T. creme de menthe. Gradually beat in about 1/2 c. sifted confectioners? sugar until the frosting is easy to spread. Spread atop brownies. In a small heavy saucepan melt 1 oz. semisweet chocolate over low heat. Drizzle atop brownies. Let chocolate set, then cut into bars.

MAKE AHEAD TIP: Prepare any of the brownie variations as directed, except line the pan with foil, extending foil over the edges of the pan. Grease the foil instead of the pan. Continue as directed; bake and cool completely. Do not frost. Using the edges of the foil, lift the uncut brownies out of the pan and place in a freezer container or bag and freeze up to 1 month. Before serving, thaw for 1 hour. Frost and cut as directed.