The Ultimate Shortcut Cookie Book - Camilla V. Saulsbury [227]
MAKES ABOUT 1 2/3 CUPS, ENOUGH TO
FROST A 13 X 9-INCH PAN OF BROWNIES,
12 CUPCAKES, OR 48–60 COOKIES.
Baker’s Note
For an 8-inch-square pan of brownies, halve the ingredients listed above and proceed as directed.
MILK CHOCOLATE SOUR CREAM FROSTING
1 cup milk chocolate chips
1/3 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Melt chocolate in a double boiler or a large metal bowl over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring occasionally. Remove bowl from heat, then whisk in sour cream and vanilla. Cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally (frosting will become thick enough to spread). Use immediately to frost cookies.
MAKES ABOUT 1¼ CUPS.
MOCHA BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
Butter plus cocoa plus espresso equals one of the very best frostings for gilding a pan of homemade brownies. It’s easy to prepare, too.
1 tablespoon coffee powder or instant espresso
4 teaspoons hot water
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
½ cup (1 stick) butter, softened
Dissolve coffee powder in the hot water in a large bowl. Add the powdered sugar, cocoa, and softened butter; beat with electric mixer on medium until smooth.
MAKES ABOUT 1 CUP FROSTING, ENOUGH
TO FROST AN 8-INCH-SQUARE PAN OF
BROWNIES.
NO-PREP FROSTINGS FOR BROWNIES AND BROWNIE COOKIES OR SANDWICH COOKIE FILLINGS
A plain batch of brownies can be dressed up quickly and deliciously with any one of these no-prep frosting options. Use approximately ¾ cup to 1 cup for an 8-inch-square batch of brownies, and approximately 1½ to 2 cups to frost a 13 x 9-inch batch of brownies or 48–60 cookies. You can add some final flourishes, too, by sprinkling on shredded coconut, chopped nuts, chocolate chips, toffee bits, or candy nonpareils from the baking aisle in the supermarket. Sometimes the best “recipes” require no work at all. This short list of no-prep frostings can change your chocolate-chip or sugar cookies into masterpieces in minutes. Sandwich chocolate-chip cookies around a thin or thick dollop of peanut butter or chocolate-hazelnut spread; squeeze squiggles, dots, and doodles with tubes of decorating icing; or spread sugar cookies with strawberry-flavored cream cheese for instant cheesecake cookies.
Peanut butter
Peanut butter and jelly
Soft-spread sweetened cream cheese
Chocolate hazelnut spread (e.g., Nutella)
Jam, preserves, or marmalade
Jarred lemon curd
Ready-to-spread canned cake frosting
Marshmallow creme/fluff
ONE-STEP CHOCOLATE-CHIP/BAKING CHIP “FROSTING”
This is one of my favorite ways to dress up a plain pan of brownies. For an even fancier finish, first do this one-step frosting, then do a contrasting chocolate drizzle (for example, white chocolate drizzle over semisweet chocolate chip frosting) in the recipe that follows; drizzle over melted chip frosting in a decorative design. Gorgeous!
1 cup chocolate chips (e.g., semisweet, milk, or white) or baking chips (e.g., butterscotch, peanut butter, cinnamon)
Prepare and bake 8-inch-square pan Classic Brownies (see page 328).
Remove from oven and sprinkle evenly with 1 cup chocolate chips (e.g., semisweet, milk, or white) or baking chips (e.g., butterscotch, peanut butter, cinnamon). Cover baking pan with cookie sheet for 3 minutes. Remove pan and spread melted chips with knife or small offset spatula to cover the brownies.
For thicker frosting on 8 x 8-inch batch: Increase chips to 1½ cups.
For 13 x 9-inch batch of brownies: Increase chips to 2 cups.
ORANGE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
I developed this recipe for my friend Elizabeth, who is of the mindset that all brownies should be frosted. She has a particular penchant for the combination of orange and chocolate, so this doubly orange frosting makes her very happy, especially when it is smoothed over a batch of Orange Cream-Frosted Brownies (see page 342).
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
2