Boo-Tiful Brownies Recipe

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Melt chocolate and butter in a large bowl over hot water, or microwave in large microwaveable bowl on high two minutes, or until butter is melted. Stir until chocolate is completely melted.

Stir in sugar, add eggs and vanilla; mix well. Add flour and nuts (if using); stir until well-blended. Spread into lightly greased 13-inch-by-9-inch baking pan.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with only a few fudgy crumbs. Do not over-bake.

While brownies bake, use a rolling pin to flatten marshmallows, two at a time, until they are roughly 1/4-inch thick.

Sprinkle surface and marshmallows with powdered sugar to avoid too much stickiness (a certain amount is inevitable).

Pinch together two sets of two marshmallows to make a large, four-marshmallow square (go over it with a rolling pin to seal). Use cookie cutters to cut marshmallows into ghost shapes. Use your fingers to press remnants into small ghost shapes.

Remove brownies from oven, and immediately top with marshmallow shapes (if this process takes too long, the marshmallows will melt). Place in oven for one minute (the marshmallows will puff, melt just a little, and stick to the brownies).

Remove from oven, and place in refrigerator for about 20 minutes (do not place in freezer). Remove from the refrigerator, and either decorate then or allow to cool completely. (You risk melted icing if you rush it.)

When cool, outline marshmallow shapes with orange and black decorator's icing. If desired, use icing to trace cookie-cutter shapes such as bats, headstones or witches, onto brownies. Garnish with icing swirls.

Cut brownies with a very sharp knife, and wipe after each use, to prevent ruining the design.