Layered Wheat Germ Brownies

Bottom Layer
1 cup Untoasted Wheat Germ
1/2 cup Unbleached White Flour
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
6 Tbsp.butter, melted

Chocolate Layer
1/3 cup cocoa
1/3 cup margarine/butter
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs or 1/3 cup egg substitute
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2/3 cup Untoasted Wheat Germ
1/2 cup Unbleached White Flour
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix the bottom layer ingredients.  Lightly pat evenly in an ungreased 9" square pan.  Set aside.  To make the chocolate layer, melt cocoa and butter over low heat, stirring occasionally  Beat in sugar, eggs or egg substitute and vanilla.  Stir in wheat germ mixed with flour, baking powder and salt.  Spread over bottom layer.  Bake 25-30 minutes.  Cool slightly.  Spread with chocolate icing.  Cut in small squares.

Chocolate Icing

2 Tbsp. margarine
3 Tbsp. cocoa
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 Tbsp. hot water

Melt margarine and cocoa.  Remove form heat and mix in powdered sugar, vanilla and 1 1/2 Tbsp. hot water.  Spread over cooled brownies.

Comments:  I'm going to call this a healthy brownie since it has wheat germ and cocoa instead of all flour and chocolate chips.  At least it's healthier than most.  These are the steps I changed just a bit.  For the bottom layer I melted my butter in the microwave and mixed the wheat germ, flour and brown sugar with my hands to make sure it was blended well before adding the butter.  The Chocolate layer called for melting the cocoa and butter over low heat.  I placed mine in a bowl and microwaved it which worked perfectly.  After adding the sugar and vanilla it was cool enough to add the eggs.  For the Icing I again melted the butter and cocoa in the microwave and instead of adding it after the brownies were cool I spread it over while they were still a little warm to the touch allowing some of the icing to seep in.  I don't eat chocolate but from what my food testers have told me, these are some of the best.  They are sort of like brownies yet sort of like a cake.  They are all gone so they must have been good.