Recipe: German chocolate cake as brownies

Total time: About 50 minutes, plus cooling time

Servings: 16

Note: This is modeled on a recipe by Alice Medrich

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, divided, plus extra for greasing the baking dish

2 ounces Baker’s German’s or semisweet chocolate, broken into squares or coarsely chopped

1/3 cup sugar

1 large egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/3 cup plus 1/4 cup flour, divided

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1 large egg yolk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup sweetened coconut flakes

1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Thickly butter the bottom of a 9-inch square baking dish.

2. In a metal bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, combine the chocolate and 4 tablespoons butter, stirring occasionally, until both are melted. Stir in the sugar, egg and vanilla and blend well. Add one-third cup flour and one-half teaspoon of the salt and mix well. Scrape into the prepared pan and smooth the top.

3. For the topping: Melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter. Add the brown sugar and the remaining one-fourth teaspoon salt and mix well. Stir in the egg yolk and vanilla and mix well. Combine one-fourth cup flour and baking soda and stir into the batter. Blend in the coconut and pecans. Drop the topping evenly over the prepared base to cover it.

4. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until the topping is well browned. Cool on a rack before cutting into squares. (If you cover the pan for at least 4 hours or overnight, the brownies will be more gooey and easier to cut.)

Each serving: 165 calories; 2 grams protein; 15 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram fiber; 11 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 41 mg. cholesterol; 87 mg. sodium.