Butterfudge Fingers

This is one of the most coveted recipes in my collection. It is from my mom, Anne Whitson, who got it from a magazine years ago. Gracing many a Christmas and luncheon cookie plate since, it is to die for. That stripe of butter fudge under the bitter chocolate layer is what makes it. The secret ingredient: browned butter. That's the key. But you will find that out when you bite into one, won't you? Serve for dessert after dinner with vanilla ice cream and coffee!

Note: I always double this recipe and use a 9X13 inch pan. Give some to your neighbors!

2 squares unsweetened chocolate (2 oz.)
1/3 C butter
1 C sugar
2 eggs
3/4 C sifted flour
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1/2 C chopped nuts

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Melt chocolate and butter over hot or boiling water in a double boiler. If you don't have a double boiler, simply put suspend a small pot over a large pot of hot/boiling water. Beat in sugar and eggs. Sift dry ingredients together; stir in. Add nuts. Spread in greased, 8-inch square pan. Bake 30-35 minutes; until top has dull crust. Cool slightly. Make topping. spread topping on brownies. Makes 32 fingers (0r bars).

Topping: Brown 1/4 C soft butter over med. heat. Blend with 2 C sifted powdered sugar. Blen in 2 T cream (not milk) and 1 t vanilla. Spread on brownies. If mixture is on the thick side, you can use the palm of your hand to squish it into place. Melt 1 oz. of unsweetened chocolate and 1 T butter together. When cooled, spread a very thin coating over the butterfudge. There will be areas it doesn't cover completely--that's ok--just do your best to spread it evenly. Sprinkle on nuts. Cut into bars OR diamonds. Diamonds are harder to cut, but they look really fancy (and you will have leftover pieces that you and the dog can eat).