Heavenly Chocolate Brownies on a Stick

Hi friends! Aside from my cupcake devotion, I truly adore brownies. Mmmm. Brownies. Just the word alone makes me happy. I cannot even count the thousands of brownies, cookies and cupcakes I have made in my lifetime. Brownies, much like cupcakes, bring smiles.

I was trying to come up with something fun and different for my little guy to bring in for his classroom Valentine's Day celebration. I wanted something other than "Fun Dip" or "Tootsie Pops" to go with his Valentine cards. Last year my little guy and I made heart shaped cupcakes and while I think candy makes perfectly good treats, I was seeing something different this year! I was in Michael's Craft Store the other day replenishing my satin ribbon supply (it was on sale for 50 cents per spool). While peeking down a few of my favorite aisles, I noticed a really fun mold for brownie pops on a stick, and that my friends, is when I had my "A-ha!" moment. I thought how darling they would be with pink chocolate drizzled on them, rolled in red hearts, then wrapped in cellophane tied pink and brown ribbon. The possibilities were endless and so delicious!

The best part is this gooey recipe from Ina Garten which she adapted from a recipe for chocolate globs in the Soho Charcuterie Cookbook. Brownies are delicious and special. Once your treats are all dressed up and ready to be handed out, watch the face of the person you give them to light up! I love that feeling.

As always, treats taste better when you share them with a friend!

Best!


Heavenly Chocolate Brownies on a Stick
(Adapted from Ina Garten's Outrageous Brownies)

1 pound unsalted butter

1 pound plus 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips, divided

6 ounces unsweetened chocolate

6 extra-large eggs

3 tablespoons instant coffee powder

2 tablespoons real vanilla extract

2 1/4 cups sugar

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided (1 cup for batter and 1/4 cup in the chips and nuts)

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

3 cups diced walnut pieces (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 F degrees

2. For this project I am using the brownie pop mold pan. For regular brownies which can be cut out with fun cookie cutter shapes, grease and flour a 13 x 18 x 1 1/2-inch pan.

3. Melt together the butter, 1 pound chocolate chips, and unsweetened chocolate on top of a double boiler. Cool slightly.

4. Stir together the eggs, instant coffee, vanilla and sugar.

5. Stir in the warm chocolate mixture and cool to room temperature.

6. Stir together 1 cup of the flour, baking powder and salt.

7. Add to cooled chocolate mixture. Toss the walnuts (optional) and 12 ounces of chocolate chips with 1/4 cup flour to coat. Then add to the chocolate batter.

8. Pour the batter into prepared mold (Be sure to spray mold with non-stick cooking spray).

9. Bake for about 25 - 30 minutes, or until tester just comes out clean. Do not over-bake!

10. I had to watch the brownie mold pan closely, my oven baked the molds at 28 minutes. When I make the pan of brownies it is 30 minutes. So keep an eye out! Halfway through the baking, rap the pan against the oven shelf to allow air to escape from between the pan and the brownie dough.

11. Cool thoroughly!

Dressing Heavenly Chocolate Brownies

1. After the brownie mold yields the number of Heavenly Chocolate Brownies you want and they are cooled, dip them into melted Wilton candy melt.

2. Wait until the candy has cooled slightly, then roll the dipped brownie in different colored sprinkles.

3. Finally, inserted the lollipop sticks gently on top of the brownies and wrapped the pops in cellophane, tied with a satin ribbon!

Lovely!