Cocoa Brownies

Ingredients

Brownie Base

• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 3/4 cup butter
• 4 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt

Cappuccino Filling

• 1/3 cup butter, room temperature
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons custard powder
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 teaspoons instant coffee powder
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 3 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

Chocolate Topping

• 8 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
• 2 Tablespoons butter

Garnish Optional

• 2 ounces white chocolate, chopped

Directions

Brownie Base

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line a 9x13 pan with parchment paper, and grease the paper with butter.
3. Melt butter in a large saucepan over low heat, then stir in cocoa.
4. Remove from heat.
5. Mix in sugar and vanilla then mix in eggs one at a time.
6. Stir in remaining ingredients then stir in nuts.
7. Bake for 30 minutes.
8. Cool completely, flip pan and peel away parchment paper.

Cappuccino Filling

1. In a mixing bowl, beat the butter by hand until smooth and beat in custard powder.
2. Scald the milk, stir in the coffee powder to dissolve and cool to room temperature.
3. Add milk to butter mixture and stir in the confectioners' sugar a cup at a time, combining well.
4. Spread over base and chill in the refrigerator while preparing topping.

Chocolate Topping

1. Melt the chocolate and butter over a pot of gently simmering water or in the top of a double boiler.
2. Pour over the cappuccino filling and spread to cover evenly. Chill for 30 minutes.

Garnish

1. Melt the white chocolate and butter over a pot of gently simmering water or in the top of a double boiler. Let cool a little then put into a piping tool and drizzle on the white lines.
2. Slice into squares to serve.