Mocha Brownies make great Valentine Treats !

Mocha brownies with pink icing sugar decoration set in red heart doilies ..it doesn't get any cuter than this !  Cute enough to be given as special treat to the hard working teachers at  my daughter's school. I mean the get enough store bought chocolates . These home bakes brownies should convey a nice personal touch , don't you think ?

This recipe for the mocha brownies comes from the book "Cookie Classics" from Better Homes and Gardens . They are also referred to as bar cookies and along with the mocha flavor also carry a delightful hint of tangerine ! I have used colored sugar to decorate them and the heart doilies serve as the perfect prop considering they are being used as Valentine treats.

Ingredients - 

3/4 cup all purpose flour
2/3 cup butter
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate (chocolate chips work fine too)
1 tsp instant coffee crystals
1 tsp shredded orange or tangerine peel
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
powdered sugar to decorate

Method-

Pre heat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 8x8x2 baking pan.

Take a medium saucepan and melt the 2/3 cup butter  at low flame.

Add in the 1/3 cup cocoa powder and coffee crystals and slowly stir them in . Remove from flame.

Add in the sugar and gently stir it in .

Next, comes the eggs (one at a time ) and vanilla extract. Beat them gently so that they just combine .

Add in the flour and fold it gently in the mixture.

Follow that with the chocolate chips and orange /tangerine peel . Gently fold them in as well.

Pour the batter into the greased pan and bake at 350 degrees F for about 30 minutes .

 Cool on a wire rack, cut into squares and enjoy !