Macaroon Brownies

I simply love macaroons and chocolate so when I came across this recipe at Tasty Kitchen I knew it was meant for me! I did adjust the recipe slightly and added chocolate frosting, because you really can't have enough chocolate in my opinion! If you are going to do it, do it right! You just might want to make these for your love this Valentine's Day!

Macaroon Brownies

brownies:
3/4 cup melted butter
1-1/2 cups sugar
1-1/2 t vanilla
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 eggs
1-1/2 cups flour
1/2 t salt

filling:
4 cups coconut
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 T vanilla (yes, tablespoon)
1/4 t salt

frosting:
4 T butter, melted
1-1/2  heaping T cocoa powder
1-1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 T milk
1/2 t vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 (325 if using a glass pan). Lightly grease a 9x13 pan. Melt butter and add sugar, vanilla, and cocoa powder. Mix well.  Add eggs and whisk until combined.  Stir in flour and salt.  Stir until smooth.  Pour half the batter into the bottom of the prepared pan.  Combine all the ingredients for the filling. Stir until well mixed, and spread over the batter in the pan.  Drop remaining brownie batter over the filling in spoonfuls and then spread out evenly.  (This can be a little tricky, I found a butter knife worked best). Bake at 350 (or 325) for 40 to 45 minutes.

For the frosting: melt the butter and stir in the cocoa powder.  Add the rest of the ingredients and stir until smooth.  You can frost the brownies while they are still warm by pouring the frosting over the top and letting the frosting set or you can pour the warm frosting over individual cooled brownies so it drips down the sides.