Preheat oven to 350*F (175*C). Lightly
grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with butter or margarine.
In a medium saucepan, melt 3/4 cup butter
over medium heat. Remove from heat and whisk in water and cocoa
until smooth. Whisk in sugar, buttermilk, eggs and vanilla until
well-blended and smooth.
In a medium bowl, mix flour and baking
soda. Whisk flour mixture into cocoa mixture until blended. Batter
will be thin. Pour into prepared pan and bake 30 to 35 minutes,
or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean and edges
begin to pull away from the sides of the pan. Set pan on a wire
rack to cool for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare icing. In a medium
saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add buttermilk and cocoa;
bring to a boil, whisking until smooth.
Remove from heat and whisk in powdered
sugar until no lumps remain. Pour icing over brownies. Spread
evenly with a metal spatula. Chill for at least 2 hours or until
icing is set. Cut into squares. If desired, garnish with chocolate-covered
espresso beans, 1 per square.
Storage: Can be stored, airtight in refrigerator,
up to five days. If desired, store them in the pan in which they
were baked.
