Picked From the Tree: German Chocolate Brownies

I come from a long line of divine cooks.  Their recipes were written on hundreds of little cards and shared. Eventually some of those cards were passed on to me.  Every once in a while I like to pull one of those recipes from my ‘family tree’ and get all nostalgic.  ’Picked from the Tree’ is a series where I document those recipes from my family tree and maybe share a memory or two.



All my life I had heard about these brownies that my mom used to make.  They were glorious brownies by all accounts.  In fact, Mom had won a few blue ribbons at fairs with the recipe.  I don't ever remember my mom ever making them (she was battling cancer for most of my childhood so she wasn't doing much baking anymore) but I really wanted to try them.  They're German Chocolate which is my very favorite so I just decided to jump in and try them.

German Chocolate Brownies - serves 10x15 pan

Brownie:
1 1/2 cup margarine or butter
3 cup sugar
3 tsp vanilla
6 eggs
9 tbs cocoa
1 1/2 cup flour
1 1/2 cup chopped nuts

Blend butter & cocoa until light and fluffy. Add eggs, flour, nuts & vanilla.

Bake at 325* for 40 minutes.

Icing:
1 cup sugar
1 cup evaporated milk
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup shortening
3/4 tsp vanilla
1 1/3 cup flaked coconut
1 cup chopped pecans

Combine sugar, milk, egg yolks & shortening. Stir over med heat until boil.  Stir in vanilla, coconut & pecans.