Christmas Brownie Lollipops Food

RAINBOW-SPRINKLED BROWNIE POPS

Steps:

• Make and bake brownies as directed on box, using oil, water and eggs. Cool at least 1 hour.
• Line cookie sheet with waxed paper. In large bowl, crumble baked brownies. Using 1 1/2-inch cookie scoop, scoop out brownie mixture; roll into balls. Place on cookie sheet. Freeze 1 hour.
• In 1-quart microwavable bowl, microwave candy melts uncovered on High 1 minute 30 seconds; stir. Continue microwaving and stirring in 15-second intervals until melted; stir until smooth.
• Remove balls from freezer. Dip tip of each lollipop stick into melted candy, then halfway into 1 cake ball; place on waxed paper-lined cookie sheet.
• When all brownie balls have sticks, gently swirl 1 ball into melted candy to coat well; allow candy to drip back into bowl. Place stick in polystyrene foam. Sprinkle top with candy sprinkles. Repeat with remaining cake balls and melted candy. Let candy harden before serving.

CHRISTMAS BROWNIE TREES

Steps:

• For the brownies: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottom and sides of two 8-inch round cake pans. Cut two 8-inch circles out of parchment and line the bottoms of the cake pans with the parchment.
• Stir together the butter, granulated sugar, vanilla and eggs in a medium bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips and divide the batter between the prepared pans, smoothing the tops. Bake until the brownies begin to gain a crust around the edges, pull away from the edge and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes.
• Let the brownies cool fully in the pans on cooling racks, about 1 hour. Cut each circle into 8 equal triangles with a knife. Use a small offset spatula or pie server to lift each triangle out of the pan.
• For the American buttercream frosting: Combine the confectioners' sugar, butter and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or in a large bowl if using a handheld electric mixer). Mix on low speed until mostly incorporated. Add the vanilla, increase the speed to medium-high and mix until smooth. Loosen the consistency with milk as desired. Add 24 drops green food coloring and 1 drop red food coloring and mix on medium speed for 1 minute. Set aside.
• To assemble: Using the tip of a paring knife or a skewer, poke a small hole along the bottom edge of each brownie. Insert a candy cane "trunk" into each hole.
• Fill the piping bag with the frosting and cut 1/4 inch off the tip. Using a zig-zag motion, pipe the frosting from the base to the tip of each tree. Decorate the trees with the sanding sugars and candy-covered chocolate, as desired.

BROWNIE POPS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease an 8x8-inch baking pan.
• Place 1/2 cup butter and white sugar in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in microwave on high until butter is melted, about 1 minute. Stir 2 ounces baking chocolate into butter-sugar mixture until chocolate melts. Stir in eggs; mix well. Add flour, 1 tablespoon orange liqueur, vanilla extract, and salt; stir to combine. Pour batter into the prepared baking dish.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the top is dry and the edges have started to pull away from the sides of the pan, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven and cool completely.
• Place remaining 1/4 cup butter in a large microwave-safe bowl. Heat in microwave on high until melted, about 30 seconds. Stir 1 ounce baking chocolate into melted butter until chocolate melts. Stir in orange liqueur and 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar. Crumble the cooled brownies into the mixture; stir to combine.
• Form brownie mixture into 1-inch balls; arrange on a baking sheet. Refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours. Insert a lollipop stick into each brownie ball.
• Melt chocolate coating and chocolate chips in the top of a double boiler over simmering water, stirring frequently and scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula to avoid scorching. Keep warm.
• Dip each brownie pop into the chocolate coating, allowing excess chocolate to drip back into the saucepan. Transfer the coated brownie pops onto a baking sheet or set upright into a piece of craft foam. Allow coating to set, about 1 hour.

CHRISTMAS BROWNIE LOLLIPOPS

Steps:

• Cut the brownie into 24 pieces, then use your hands (greasing them if necessary) to roll each piece into a little ball about the size of a truffle. Insert a lolly stick, or wooden coffee stirrer snapped in half, into each ball.
• Place the chocolate into a large bowl. Bring the cream just to the boil in a small pan, then pour over the chocolate. Leave for a few mins until starting to melt, then stir until smooth. Dip the brownie lollipops into the melted chocolate until coated all over, scatter over the sprinkles to decorate, then leave for 30 mins until set. Try inserting the lolly sticks into an empty egg box to allow them to cool upright. Can be made up to 2 days in advance and stored in a cool place.

CHRISTMAS REINDEER BROWNIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottom and sides of two 8-inch round cake pans. Cut two 8-inch circles out of parchment paper and line the bottoms of the cake pans with the parchment.
• Stir together the butter, sugar, vanilla and eggs in a medium bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Stir in 1 cup of the regular chocolate chips and divide the batter between the prepared pans, smoothing the tops. Bake until a crust begins to form around the edges, the edges pull away from the pan and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes.
• Meanwhile, halve the candy chews lengthwise. Use your fingers to shape each half into a teardrop shape for the reindeer's ears and set aside. Melt 2 tablespoons of the remaining regular chocolate chips in a heat-proof bowl in a microwave in 20 second intervals.
• Use a dab of the melted chocolate to stick a red candy-coated chocolate onto each of the vanilla wafers to make noses and set aside.
• Cut each mini marshmallow in half crosswise. Insert one mini chocolate chip, pointed-side down, into the flat, cut side of each marshmallow piece to make eyes and set aside.
• As soon as the brownies come out of the oven, sprinkle the top of each brownie round evenly with half of the remaining regular chocolate chips (7 tablespoons each) and let stand until the chips melt, about 5 minutes. Spread the chocolate evenly over the top of the brownies with a spatula.
• Let the brownies cool fully in the pans on cooling racks, about 1 hour. Cut each circle into 8 equal triangles with a knife. Use a small offset spatula or pie server to lift each triangle out of the pan.
• To assemble: Arrange the brownies so that the longest, sharpest point faces you and gently press a cookie-nose on that point of each brownie. To make antlers: Using the tip of a paring knife or a skewer, poke two small holes in the top side of each brownie, about 1/2 inch from the corners, and insert a mini candy cane in each hole.
• For the ears, press a piece of candy chew on each corner below the candy cane antlers
• Press 2 of the mini marshmallow eyes next to each other in the center of each brownie.

CHRISTMAS BROWNIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour an 8-inch square pan.
• Melt butter in a large saucepan. Remove from heat and stir in sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Beat in flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking powder. Spread batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Do not overcook. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile cream shortening for frosting until fluffy. Gradually add confectioner's sugar and continue beating until creamy and well blended. Add 3 ounces cream, vanilla, and salt and blend on low speed until moistened. Add up to 1 more ounce cream if necessary. Beat on high speed until frosting is fluffy.
• Transfer 1/2 of the frosting into another bowl and mix in green gel food coloring to get your preferred shade of green.
• Use a tree-shaped cookie cutter to cut out 8 Christmas trees from the pan of cooled brownies.
• Pipe green and white frostings onto cooled brownies to look like snow-covered trees. Decorate with candies.