Brownies into Truffles (from Marcia Geiger )

Another great one from Marcia.. Heck I am gaining weight just posting them....... Yummy!

Brownies into Truffles

3/4 cup all- purpose flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter or margarine at room temp.
3 squares ( 1 ounce each) unsweeted chocolate, chopped coarse
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 large eggs
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line bottom and sides of 13x9 inch baking pan with foil, grease foil.
Mix flour, baking powder and salt. Melt butter in a 3 quart saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat. Add unsweetened chocolate; stir occasionally until chocolate is completely melted. Stir in sugar, vanilla and eggs, then the flour mixture and chocolate chips just until blended. Spread evenly in prepared pan. Bake on center rack of oven 20-25 minutes until top is firm when lightly touched. Do not over bake. cool in pan on rack . Lift foil by ends onto cutting board. At this point you have a nice batch of brownies. BUT TO MAKE TRUFFLES:


In a mixer or food processor, beat pieces of brownies into coarsely crumbled scraps--about 6 cups.
Add; 6 TBS brandy, 4 TBS heavy cream and 1 cup finely chopped walnuts or pecans. Chill 20+ minutes, then shape rounded teaspoonfuls into balls and store covered in the refrigerator.

Dipping Mixture::

6 Squares ( 1 Ounce each) semi-sweet chocolate
2 squares (1 ounce unsweetened chocolate)
4 TBS shortening

In top of double boiler, combine all ingredients. Place over, but not touching the hot water. Stir to melt. Remove from heat to dip cookies. If necessary, re-warm over the water to re-melt chocolate mix. Place dipped cookies on wax paper.