Elizabeth Blau's Spiderweb Brownies

“My son, Cole, and I love to make Halloween all about candy and desserts,” says the founder of Blau + Associates Restaurant Group. “It is fun to make these brownies together and we get creative with mixing up our candy fillings to surprise our friends. We sometimes add Twix bars, Almond Joys with almonds and coconut, Oreos, or we chop up an assortment of leftover Halloween candy to mix in.”

¾ cup, plus 3 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened, divided
1½ cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 tsp., plus 1 tbsp. vanilla extract, divided
1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting pan
½ cup unsweetened cocoa
¼ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. kosher salt
1 cup powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line a 9-inch square baking pan with parchment paper; lightly grease with cooking spray, and lightly dust bottom with flour.

2. Melt ¾ cup butter in a large saucepan over medium. Remove from heat; whisk in sugar, eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt in a bowl; gradually whisk into butter mixture. Pour batter into prepared pan.

3. Bake until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean, 26 to 28 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack. Cut brownies into 3-inch squares.

4. For frosting, combine 3 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon vanilla; gradually stir in powdered sugar until well blended and smooth. Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a small round tip (or a heavy-duty plastic bag with 1 corner cut off). Pipe 4 to 5 concentric circles on each brownie, beginning with a very small circle in center of brownie (see sidebar below). Using a wooden toothpick, and starting at smallest center circle, drag pick through frosting circles to resemble a spiderweb.
Serves: 9
Active time: 15 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes