Date Topped Brownies

Now, this making two daily desserts business is not an easy feat. I have to be creative and try new ideas (that don't always work) and keep coming up with new ones. I don't like to do the same dessert twice, even if they love it. I will eventually, but I don't want to get stuck in a rut where I keep baking the same things from my little stockpile of pastries. So I am building a binder, my pastry arts binder, meticulously organized, of all desserts I have tried and that were successes. There are recipes from culinary school, from my grandma, things I've tried at home, and every recipe that has won a victory at work. So onto to the successful experiment of date brownies- who just made it into my binder.

I found dates at work in the dried fruit box. I had already used the dried cranberries, raisins, cherries... So I tasted a date. I'm not sure if I had ever had one before, but this blew my mind. It was a heavenly shriveled up lump of sweetness, and I had to use it.

I usually would use my little iPhone screen to look up recipes, but I didn't have time. It was already 7:00 AM, and the menu goes out by 7:30- and I had breakfast items to prepare. I quickly searched around, saw the cocoa powder, remembered there was some left-over chocolate frosting I was suppose to use, and decided on brownies. At that point I had not decided whether I was going to put them inside or just on top- but I had something to put on the menu.

I would have called these "date brownies," but then the assumption might have been that they are a healthier brownie version- made with "date sugar," and they are not. I'm sure that would be great though, and there are many diabetics amongst the elderly, so I will try (someday) and get back to you with that recipe as well.

Date Topped Brownies

brownies:
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
(1/2 cups chopped dates)
frosting:
2 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar
6 tablespoons cocoa powder
6 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
5 tablespoons evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dates for topping (1 per brownie)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Grease a 9x9 inch baking pan.
Mix together oil, sugar and vanilla, then beat in the eggs.
Combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt, then stir into sugar mixture.
Stir in chopped dates, if using.
Spread into prepared pan, and bake 20-25 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the frosting:
Mix together the cocoa powder and confectioners' sugar.
Cream the butter with an electric mixer until smooth, then gradually add sugar mixture alternately with evaporated milk.
Add vanilla, then beat until light and fluffy. Consistency may be adjusted with more milk or sugar.

When brownies are cooled, cut into squares, frost and top each with a whole date.

Enjoy with your favorite seniors!