Kahlua Bars

I was born with a sweet tooth.  Sure wish I hadn't been.  Sure wish I could train myself better.  If I had proper training maybe I could pass up dessert recipes.  It comes in spurts...and I promise after this post, no more sweets for a long time!  (I don't break promises...remind me of that, if I should lapse!)

What is better than brownies?  Well, brownies that are flavored with Kahlua, topped with frosting that is flavored with Kahlua and then drizzled with chocolate.  That sounded mighty fine to me!  I even had an excuse to make them....we had some friends for dinner and I needed a quick and tasty dessert.  And, since it was for company, why not add a scoop of vanilla ice cream?

Unfortunately, these taste so good and they are so rich that reaching for a second brownie or a third brownie, even though they were small, left me feeling uncomfortable.  Did I return the next day...but of course.

Kahlua Bars

Yield:  24 to 32 bars

Brownies
4 oz unsweetened chocolate
2/3 cup butter, room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup Kahlua
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt

Frosting
2 Tbsp Kahlua
1 tsp instant Expresso
1/2 cup butter (1 cube), room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp teaspoon vanilla extract
2 to 3 tsps half and half

Topping
1 oz semi-sweet chocolate
1 Tbsp butter

Brownie Preparation
Preheat oven to 350° F.
Grease a 9 X 13 inch baking pan

In a medium saucepan, over low heat, melt the chocolate and butter together.  Remove pan from the heat and mix in sugar, eggs, vanilla and Kahlua.  Stir flour, baking powder and salt.

Spread in prepared pan.  Bake at 350°, 25 to 30 minutes or until batter starts to pull away from the sides of the pan.  Cool.

Frosting Preparation
In a small bowl, mix Kahlua with the instant Expresso, stirring until the coffee is dissolved.  In a medium bowl, cream butter, powdered sugar and vanilla together.  Add coffee mixture and beat until well blended.  Add half and half to desired consistency.  Spread frosting over cooled brownies.

Topping Preparation
In a small saucepan, melt chocolate and butter together.  Cool slightly, then drizzle topping over frosting.  Cool until chocolate is set.  Cut into bars.

PRINTABLE RECIPE
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Alert:  You may wish to give as many brownies away as possible.  I gifted my daughter and neighbor with a few.

I am sending this to The Saturday Evening Pot for Make a Food-"e"-Friend Mondays!