Espresso Bars

Total Time: 35 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 25 mins

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons espresso powder
• 2 tablespoons boiling water
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa
• 4 ounces cream cheese
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups icing sugar (approx)
• cocoa, for dusting

Recipe

• 1 dissolve espresso powder in water; set aside.
• 2 in mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar.
• 3 add eggs, espresso mixture and vanilla; beat just until blended.
• 4 sift together flour and cocoa; stir.
• 5 spread batter in greased 9-inch square baking pan.
• 6 bake in 350°f oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until tester comes out clean (don't over bake) let cool.
• 7 frosting: with electric mixer, beat together cream cheese, butter, espresso powder and vanilla until smooth.
• 8 gradually beat in enough icing sugar to give spreading consistency.
• 9 spread over cooled base.
• 10 dust top lightly with cocoa through a small sieve.
• 11 (may be wrapped airtight and stored up to 1 day or frozen).
• 12 cut into bars.