Ralph Lauren's Nana's Brownies

If one while-vacationing-in-Maine brownie recipe is good, two is even better! This is from the cookbook, Ricky Lauren, The Hamptons. Ralph Lauren loved his mother-in-laws brownies so much "...he offered to put a brownie department in his stores for her!"

Nana's Rum-Laced Brownies

for the brownies
1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate
3 cups granulated sugar
6 eggs
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts

for the glaze
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) salted butter
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Rum or brandy to taste
Walnut halves

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

To make the brownies: Grease and flour a 9-by-13-inch pan. Melt the butter, chocolate, and sugar in the top of a double boiler over simmering water. Beat the eggs with the vanilla. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix all the ingredients together and stir in the walnuts, if you desire. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Allow to cool before frosting.

To make the glaze: Melt the butter and chocolate. Mix in all the other ingredients except the walnuts, then spread the frosting evenly on the cooled brownies. Cut into squares and decorate if you choose with the walnut halves. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Makes 12 Brownies