Sometimes an occasion calls for decorating your brownies. With a few quick and easy touches you can make an ordinary plain brownie mix into an extra-special dessert.

• Mix equal parts of confectioners' sugar and cocoa powder together. Place a stencil over the top of the brownies and dust with the mixture. Carefully lift the stencil off, so you don't disturb the pattern left by the sugar mixture.
• Drizzle the tops of the brownies with a contrasting color of melted chocolate, like milk or white chocolate.
• Use your favorite frosting or icing to spread over the tops of the brownies. Or place the frosting in a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe rosettes, shells, or stars on top. Chill briefly to set the topping, then cut into squares.
• Cut a brownie and arrange it on a dessert plate. Pour hot fudge over the top of the brownie and place a couple of small scoops of ice cream next to it.
• Cover a dessert plate with a pool of raspberry sauce. Place a brownie on top of the sauce, then arrange fresh raspberries around the brownie.
• Whip cream to soft peaks. Fit a pastry bag with a large star tip. Pipe the top of each brownie with a star or rosette, then top with a chocolate cut-out, fresh berries, or finely chopped toasted nuts.
• Use any shape cookie cutter to cut out the brownies. For example, for Valentine's Day, use a heart shaped cutter!

What to do with the leftover brownies after cutting them with a cookie cutter? Gather the scraps together and press into balls. Roll the balls in cocoa powder, confectioners' sugar, or ground toasted nuts, then place them into candy cups.