Boreal Forest Cranberry Brownies

Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 35 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 1 1/3 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup cocoa powder
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 cup cranberries (fresh or frozen-no need to thaw)
• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/4 cup cranberry sauce (jellied)
• 2 tablespoons cranberry juice (see note)
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar

Recipe

• 1 note: to make cranberry juice for icing (if you don't have bottle juice on hand) simmer cranberries for brownies a few minutes in 1/8 cup water. drain and reserve liquid and use berries in brownies.
• 2 preheat oven to 350°f coat a 9 x 13 inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.
• 3 combine flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
• 4 melt 1 cup butter in large saucepan. remove from heat. stir in 1 cup cocoa powder. add 2 cups sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, and 1 teaspoons almond extract; stir until well blended.
• 5 stir chocolate mixture into flour mixture. add cranberries and nuts and mix just until blended.
• 6 pour batter into baking pan. bake 30 to 35 minutes.
• 7 cool completely and frost.
• 8 frosting: melt 3 tbls. butter in small saucepan. remove from heat. stir in 1/3 cup cocoa powder, 1/4 teaspoons almond extract, cranberry sauce and juice; stir well.
• 9 add confectioners' sugar; mix until well blended.