Butterscotch Bars with Brown Sugar Icing

If you need to feed a crowd, these luscious brownies from Fredericksburg pastry maven Rebecca Rather are just the thing. They're made in a half-sheet pan (13x18 inches); she says the recipe makes 30 brownies, but they're so rich you could cut them smaller than the recommended 2x3 inches and get more.

The icing is made with butter that's slightly browned with brown sugar. The result is a thick topper with a deep, toasty flavor.

The recipe is from Pastry Queen Parties (Ten Speed Press, $32.50).

Butterscotch Bars with Brown Sugar Icing
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 cups firmly packed golden brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups chopped pecans, toasted

Icing
1 cup butter
2 cups brown sugar
4 cups powdered sugar (i sifted mine)
1/3 cup half and half or whole milk
1 tablespoon vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a half-sheet pan (13×18 inches) with aluminum foil and grease foil with butter or cooking spray.

Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and brown sugar on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and continue beating for another minute.

In a bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt. Beat the flour mixture into the batter mixture on low speed until incorporated. Stir in the pecans.
Pour into the prepared pan, smoothing the top. Bake until the bars are set and slightly puffed, about 25 to 30 minutes.

Cool completely before icing.
When brownies are cool, spread icing evenly over the top. Let them sit for about 30 minutes to allow the icing to firm up before cutting into squares.

While the bars are cooling, make the icing:

Brown Sugar Icing: In a saucepan set over medium heat, melt butter and brown sugar. Once the mixture is lightly bubbling, decrease the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 more minutes; set aside.

Using an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the powdered sugar, half-and-half and vanilla on medium speed until creamy, about 1 minute.

Add the melted butter mixture and beat until combined.
Note: If you don’t own a half-sheet pan, you can bake the brownies in a 9×13-inch pan. Adjust the baking time and watch them carefully. You may have too much icing.

Recipe Source: http://bakingblonde.wordpress.com/2010/12/27/butterscotch-bars-with-brown-sugar-icing/