These brownie bars truly are a dream because they are quick and easy. The key is beginning with a chocolate or fudge cake mix. The center is a fudgy mixture of chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk, and it is topped with an eye-pleasing and tasty vanilla cream drizzle of frosting. Cut these small because they are very rich. Feel free to substitute your favorite nuts.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 36 to 48 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 (18-1/4 or 18-1/2-ounce) package chocolate or fudge cake mix
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup chopped cashews (or your favorite nuts)
- 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)
- 1 cup (6-ounces) semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- .
- Frosting:
- 2/3 cup confectioners' powdered sugar
- 1 Tablespoon cream cheese, at room temperature
- Heavy cream or whole milk (see instructions)
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with non-stick foil.
Empty cake mix into a very large bowl and make a well in the center. Pour the egg and oil into the well. Using a mixer on medium speed, blend until the mixture is combined to a crumbly texture (like wet dirt). Remove 1 cup of the mixture and mix in half of the cashews. Set aside for use later in the recipe.
Pour remaining crumb mixture into the bottom of the foil-lined baking pan. Press firmly into an even layer.
In a small saucepan, bring the sweetened condensed milk slowly to a simmer. Turn off heat and immediately stir in chocolate chips, vanilla extract, and salt. Stir until chocolate is melted and all is combined. Pour chocolate mixture evenly over the crumb layer in the pan and sprinkle with remaining half of the cashews. Tamp pan on the counter to sink in the nuts a bit.
Sprinkle reserved 1 cup of chocolate crumb/cashew mixture evenly over the fudge layer.
Bake about 30 minutes until the edges are firm. Place on a rack and let cool completely before adding the frosting.
Frosting:
Whisk together powdered sugar, cream cheese, and enough heavy cream to make a drizzling consistency. It should be thick, but still thin enough to extrude. Pour into a zip-top plastic bag, press out all the air, and seal. Snip a very tiny bit of the corner from the bottom of the bag. Use as a pastry bag to drizzle frosting in a decorative pattern over the top of the brownie dream bars. Let brownies sit at room temperature for about an hour before cutting to let the frosting firm up.
Store leftovers covered at room temperature.
Yield: 36 to 48 brownie bars, depending on cut size
Nutty Chocolate Dream Bars Recipe Photo © 2011 Peggy Trowbridge Filippone, licensed to About.com, Inc.
Suggested Related Recipes
• Bittersweet Brownie Cookies Recipe
• Brownie Crackle-top Cookies Recipe
• Cheesecake Swirl Brownies Recipe
• Double Decker Brownie Cookie Bars Recipe
• Guinness Stout Brownies Recipe
• Sea Salt Brownies Recipe
• Strawberry Cheesecake Brownie Bars Recipe
• Triple Chocolate Cookie Bars Recipe
Empty cake mix into a very large bowl and make a well in the center. Pour the egg and oil into the well. Using a mixer on medium speed, blend until the mixture is combined to a crumbly texture (like wet dirt). Remove 1 cup of the mixture and mix in half of the cashews. Set aside for use later in the recipe.
Pour remaining crumb mixture into the bottom of the foil-lined baking pan. Press firmly into an even layer.
In a small saucepan, bring the sweetened condensed milk slowly to a simmer. Turn off heat and immediately stir in chocolate chips, vanilla extract, and salt. Stir until chocolate is melted and all is combined. Pour chocolate mixture evenly over the crumb layer in the pan and sprinkle with remaining half of the cashews. Tamp pan on the counter to sink in the nuts a bit.
Sprinkle reserved 1 cup of chocolate crumb/cashew mixture evenly over the fudge layer.
Bake about 30 minutes until the edges are firm. Place on a rack and let cool completely before adding the frosting.
Frosting:
Whisk together powdered sugar, cream cheese, and enough heavy cream to make a drizzling consistency. It should be thick, but still thin enough to extrude. Pour into a zip-top plastic bag, press out all the air, and seal. Snip a very tiny bit of the corner from the bottom of the bag. Use as a pastry bag to drizzle frosting in a decorative pattern over the top of the brownie dream bars. Let brownies sit at room temperature for about an hour before cutting to let the frosting firm up.
Store leftovers covered at room temperature.
Yield: 36 to 48 brownie bars, depending on cut size
Nutty Chocolate Dream Bars Recipe Photo © 2011 Peggy Trowbridge Filippone, licensed to About.com, Inc.
Suggested Related Recipes
• Bittersweet Brownie Cookies Recipe
• Brownie Crackle-top Cookies Recipe
• Cheesecake Swirl Brownies Recipe
• Double Decker Brownie Cookie Bars Recipe
• Guinness Stout Brownies Recipe
• Sea Salt Brownies Recipe
• Strawberry Cheesecake Brownie Bars Recipe
• Triple Chocolate Cookie Bars Recipe
