Italian Buttercream Frosting

Italian Buttercream Frosting
1 1/4 c. plus 1/3 c. sugar
1/2 c. water
8 large egg whites, at room temperature
1 tsp. cream of tartar
1 1/2 lbs (6 stikcs) unsalted butter, cut into pats

Place the 1 1/4 c. sugar and the water in a saucepan. Stir to set the sugar and bring to boil over medium heat and wash the sides of the pan. Place the whites in a grease-free mixing bowl and whip until frothy. Add in the cream of tartar and continue to whip until soft peaks form. Add in the 1/3 c. of the sugar. Continue whipping until stiff, glossy peaks form. Meanwhile, keep boiling the sugar syrup until the temperature reaches 248 degrees F. When the syrup is ready, reduce mixing speed of the whites to medium and slowly pour in the hot syrup into the egg whites. Try not to get any of the syrup on the sides of the bowl or hard sugar balls may form in the meringue. Continue to whip until cooled, which may take up to 15 minutes. Add in the pats of butter and whip until combined, smooth and the butter is incorporated.

Tuxedo Brownies

2 squares of white chocolate
2 Tbsp milk
1 -8 ounce package of softened cream cheese
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 cup cool whip

Melt the chocolate with the milk. Mix the cream cheese and sugar together until smooth. Then add the chocolate and cool whip.

**Now, according to the recipe (which I believe this is actually from pampered chef?), you are supposed to spread this on top of brownies, or use some fancy pampered chef tool that cuts cute little holes in your cupcakes from which you then turn them into ding dong looking things. However, if you are me, you just get a spoon and eat it directly from the bowl and skip the cake altogether. I didn't really care for it on the brownies anyway (I'm more of a plain brownie fan myself), but I liked it on regular cake... of any flavor and with strawberries, too. Straight from the bowl is best, though.