Brownie Petit Fours With Chocolate Ganache Food

CHOCOLATE BROWNIE SANDWICH COOKIES WITH WHITE CHOCOLATE GANACHE AND STRAWBERRY PRESERVES

Steps:

• For the cookies: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl.
• Stir the 2 cups chocolate chips and butter in a medium bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water until the chocolate mixture is melted and smooth. Remove the bowl and set aside. The mixture may be thick.
• Combine the eggs, sugar and vanilla in a large bowl. Beat the egg mixture using an electric mixture, until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the melted chocolate mixture and beat until well blended. Add the flour mixture and beat until just incorporated. Stir the remaining 1 cup chocolate chips into the batter. If the batter is very soft, chill for 15 to 20 minutes to allow the batter to firm up slightly. The batter can be prepared 1 day ahead. Let the batter stand at room temperature at least 1 hour before continuing.
• Using a small cookie scoop, drop the batter in rounded tablespoonfuls onto the baking sheets, spacing 1 1/2-to-2-inches apart. Bake the cookies until slightly firm to touch and crackled all over tops but still soft in the center, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool the cookies on the sheets.
• For the white chocolate ganache: Bring the cream to simmer over medium heat in a heavy small saucepan. Remove the pan from heat and add the white chocolate chips. Stir until melted and smooth. Chill the ganache until firm enough to spread, 1 to 2 hours. The ganache can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and keep chilled. Let the ganache stand at room temperature 2 hours to soften slightly before using.
• For the strawberry preserves: Mix the preserves and the lemon zest in a small bowl.
• Spread about 1 teaspoon ganache onto the flat side of each cookie to within 1/4-inch of the edge. Spoon 1/2 to 1 teaspoon strawberry preserves on the ganache side of half of the cookies. Place the remaining cookies on top, ganache side down, to form sandwich cookies. Chill until the ganache is firm, 15 to 20 minutes. Insert lollipop sticks into the ganache filling, if desired
• For the white chocolate drizzle: Place the white chocolate in a small bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water. Stir occasionally until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Drizzle the melted chocolate over the top of one side of each sandwich cookie, using a fork. Chill until the chocolate has set, about 10 minutes. The drizzle can be prepared 1 day ahead. Store airtight in the refrigerator.

BROWNIE PETIT FOURS WITH CHOCOLATE GANACHE

Steps:

• 1. Make the brownies! If using the box kind follow directions on the box. If using your own recipe, follow that. Petit fours are usually small squares so make sure the pan you use will help these come out to 1x1 bites. I used a 12x17 pan which worked perfect for two boxes of mix. 2. Let brownies cool. Either on the counter or pop them in the fridge for a bit. Make sure your pan is cooled enough so it won't crack. 3. Once the brownies are cooled, cut them into 1x1 squares and place on a drying rack or parchment paper. If a holiday is coming up, you can find small cookie cutters and shape these into hearts, shamrocks etc. 4. In a separate heat friendly bowl, dump the bag of chocolate and set aside. You can also add in vanilla extract or liqueur into the bowl with the chocolate and give them a toss or two to coat them. 5. Once the brownies are cool and cut you can make the ganache! Heat the 1 cup of heavy cream (not whipping cream!) on the stove. You want to bring it to a boil for like 2-3 minutes and stir pretty frequently while heating it. Just hot enough to melt the chocolate. 6. In your heat friendly bowl, pour the heated cream over the chocolate and let it sit for a minute or two. Then whisk until the chocolate melts and you have a nice creamy, shinny look. Let it sit for like 3 minutes or so. Just so it can set a little and not slide right off the brownie bites. 7. Coat those suckers! I used chop sticks to coat the brownie bites, but if you have little fondue forks or a spoon that works too. Just plop them in, give them a good coating and place the bites back on the drying rack or parchment. 8. Once you coat each piece let them dry. I waited about an hour before decorating, but if you want to wait over night you can. Just pop them in the fridge. Once the bites are dry you can decorate by icing on flowers, hearts or whatever you want on top. Or you can leave them plain and enjoy the chocolaty goodness. :)

BROWNIE BITES WITH CHOCOLATE GANACHE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350. Line mini muffin pans with paper liners.
• Brownie Cups - Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add chocolate chips; stir until melted and smooth. Remove pan from heat. Briskly stir in sugar, eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour until blended. Fill each baking cup with a slightly rounded Tbsp batter.
• Bake 15 minutes or until a wooden toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes before removing from pan to rack. Let cool completely.
• Ganache - Place heavy cream in medium glass bowl. Microwave 1 minute on high until it begins to simmer. Add bittersweet chocolate chips; let stand 1-2 minutes. Whisk until smooth. Spread a tsp on top of each brownie and decorate if using. Let sit at room temperature.

VALENTINE'S BROWNIE PETITS FOURS

Steps:

• Set oven to 350 degrees F.
• Line a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with foil extending the foil over sides of the pan.
• Grease only bottom of the foil.
• In a large bowl combine the brownie mix with oil, water and eggs; beat 50 strokes with a wooden spoon.
• Spread batter into greased foil-lined baking pan.
• Bake for about 28-30 minutes or until set (do not overbake!).
• Cool 1 hour in pan (or until completely cooled).
• Remove brownies from pan by lifting the foil.
• Place the unsliced brownies in the freezer; freeze for 30 minutes.
• Using a Valentines heart-shaped cookie cutter cut into heart shapes or using a knife slice into 1-1/4-inch squares or as desired.
• Return to freezer while preparing the icing.
• For the icing; in a medium saucepan melt the chocolate chips over very low heat, stirring constantly.
• Add in canned frosting and vanilla; mix to combine, then heat 1-2 minutes or until of desired coating consistancy, stirring constantly; remove from hea.
• To coat each heart or square with icing; place the brownie on fork over the sauce, spoon the icing over brownie, coating all sides except the bottom (if icing thickens heat over low heat until desired consistancy).
• Place on small flat sheet lined with wax paper.
• Repeat with all the brownie heart or squares.
• Place in refrigerator to firm up.
• Drizzle the tops of the cold squares with red decorator icing if desired.