The Lenten Saboteur

My buddy Tina swears off chocolate for Lent every year.  This is especially impressive because of the mere existence of the Reester Bunny, a confectionary stroke of genius combining the perfect ratio of peanut butter to milk chocolate.  Now, I've never actually had one but Tina has never ever steered me wrong and I see no reason why she would start now.  I say all this because I have made it my personal mission to completely sabotage Lent for Tina.  I'm not sure if she believes that her soul will perish in smoke and ash or Jesus won't rise on the 3rd day or what but I have seen into Tina's soul and the truth is... she loves chocolate.  She hoards all the delicious Easter confections in high places where her babyhands can't reach and then on Easter, she comes over for ham and brings all those little damnable delights to my house.

I have been attempting to complete this mission every year for the last 13 years and I'm convinced that this is my year.  Yes, I want it that bad.  Some people prepare for the Olympics... I prepare for Lent.

I've culled and trimmed my list of temptations since the Holidays and I have found the perfect blend of comfort food and chocolate-y bliss.  I thought about going all in with something that requires a 23 step process and the requirement of an order for a specialty product from a remote mountain kibbutz outside Istanbul that produces the most exquisite cocoa product.  Alas, less is more.  And I find myself always waxing nostalgic for something that harkens back to my childhood and the post 4H meeting treat buffet in the Welch Church basement.  And so, I've determined that Emy Burt's* frosted Brownies are guaranteed to corrupt Tina's soul.

Emy Burt's Frosted Brownies

Melt in a large heavy saucepan:
1/2 cup salted butter

Meanwhile, combine:
1/3 c unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 c flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder


Removed from heat and add:
1 c. sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla paste

Beat in dry ingredients.

Spread in buttered and floured 8x8 pan.
Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes.

To make frosting:
Combine:
3 tbsp salted butter, softened
3 tbsp cocoa powder
1 1/2 tbsp honey, warmed
1 tsp vanilla
1 c powdered sugar

Frost while still warm, though not hot or the damn frosting settles in the middle of the pan.  No, I didn't just do that either.

Tina,
May your soul rejoice as it settles in Purgatory.

*Sidenote: Emy Burt is actually my godmother though I don't acknowledge her for a number of reasons:
1. She spells my name wrong.  Its SaraH.
2. She doesn't know my middle name.  She is laboring under the impression that it is, in fact, Rose.
3. She includes me in a mass email for Christmas.  And I'm at the bottom after all her geriatric friends' names.
4. She doesn't know my sons' names.  She thinks one is named Kyle.
5. She says, "You look more and more like your mother every time I see you!" Ugh.