Averie Cooks

Brownies:
-1 Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8-inch square pan with aluminum foil leaving overhang and spray with cooking spray, or grease and flour the pan; set aside.
-1 To a large microwave-safe bowl, add the butter, chocolate, and heat on high power to melt, about 2 minutes. Stop to check and stir after 1 minute. Heat in 15-second increments until chocolate has melted and mixture can be stirred smooth. Allow mixture to cool momentarily before adding the eggs so they don’t scramble.
-1 Add the eggs, sugar, vanilla, optional coffee, optional espresso granules (neither make brownies taste like coffee and both enhance and round out the chocolate flavor), and whisk vigorously to combine.
-1 Add the flour, salt, and stir until smooth and combined without overmixing.
-1 Turn batter out into prepared pan, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula as necessary.
-1 Bake for about 20 to 22 minutes, or until center has just set and is no longer glossy. A toothpick should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs, but no batter. 
-1 Allow brownies to cool in pan on top of a wire rack while you make the topping.
Topping/Frosting:
-1 To a medium saucepan, add the evaporated milk, butter, egg yolks, brown sugar, salt, and heat over medium-low to low heat for about 7 to 10 minutes, or until mixture has thickened. Whisk constantly or there’s a high likelihood you’ll end up with scrambled eggs in the bottom of your saucepan. The mixture should be boiling gently while whisking.
-1 Remove pan from the heat, add the vanilla, and whisk to combine using caution because the mixture could bubble up.
-1 Add the coconut, pecans, and stir to combine. Allow topping to cool in pan for about 5 minutes.
-1 Turn topping out over brownies, using a spatula to spread it as necessary.
-1 Allow brownies to cool uncovered for at least 1 hour before slicing and serving. I prefer to cover the brownies with foil and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight because they’re much easier to slice when chilled and I prefer the taste when chilled.