Sweetheart Brownie Bites
Serves 10–12
A freshly baked pan of rich, chocolatey brownies may be the perfect Valentine’s Day treat. When baked on a large baking sheet, this recipe delivers a relatively thin bite, perfect for cut-out hearts and cutesy shapes for all the sweethearts in your life. Box them up in pink pastry boxes for thoughtful gifting or serve on a platter with whipped cream and berries or sprinkles for a little festive decorating. The little ones in your life will especially love these.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces or 226 grams semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup or 2 sticks unsalted butter
- ¼ cup Dutch processed cocoa powder
- 3 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs
- 2 cups or 400 grams granulated sugar
- 1 cup or 120 grams all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Kitchen Tools
- 2 medium glass or stainless steel mixing bowls
- Small sauce pan
- Small bowl
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Whisk
- Rubber spatula
- Parchment paper
- Large baking sheet (18x13)
- Cookie cutters or a sharp knife
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease the baking sheet with a dab of neutral oil or butter along the base and the sides, and line with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Prep a double boiler. Fill a small sauce pan about ⅓ full with water and bring to a simmer over low-medium heat. Place a medium-sized mixing bowl on top of the sauce pan, making sure the water isn’t touching the bottom of the bowl. This creates a double boiler effect, perfect for melting chocolate without the risk of burning.
- Add the chocolate chips and butter to the bowl, stirring often to help with the melting process. When the chocolate has melted and the butter is well incorporated, add the vanilla and cocoa powder and stir to combine. Carefully remove the bowl from the double boiler and set aside.
- In a small bowl, gently whisk the eggs and set aside.
- In another medium mixing bowl, add the sugar, flour, and kosher salt. Use a dry whisk to combine. If there are lumps, put through a sieve or sifter to break them up. Often enough, whisking does the trick and saves some time! Set aside.
- Temper the eggs: To avoid scrambling, be sure the chocolate is warm, but not hot. Slowly whisk about ¼ cup of the warm chocolate mixture into the eggs. Repeat once more. Then pour the egg mixture into the remaining chocolate mixture and stir to combine.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the chocolate-egg mixture. Stir minimally, just until incorporated and there aren’t any visible dry ingredients. A few lumps and bumps are okay and will bake out nicely, but be sure to break down any larger lumps. The less you stir, the more tender your brownie crumb will be.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking sheet. Gently drop the pan onto the counter from about three inches high to release any air bubbles (a great technique for cookies and cakes, too!). Repeat this once or twice.
- Place the pan in the top third of the oven and bake for twelve minutes. Because you’re baking in a thin layer, the bake time is quite short. Remove the brownies to test for doneness. A toothpick should come out mostly clean and the center of the pan shouldn’t jiggle. If they need more time, place back in the oven for two additional minutes, and check again. Repeat as needed until completely baked through.
- Allow to cool completely, about an hour, before cutting into shapes or squares for serving. Try dusting them with a bit more cocoa powder or confectioner’s sugar or serving with decorative toppings as you might with sugar cookie cut outs. Enjoy!
Note: If your pan is slightly larger or smaller than a standard 18x13 half sheet, adjust baking time by 1-2 minutes - more time if the pan is smaller, brownies will be thicker or less time if the pan is larger, brownies will be thinner.
Find fan-favorite topping Fresh Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream and more seasonal, hospitality-focused recipes at thehostnotes.com and follow along @thehostnotes on your favorite social channels.
Amber Dawn Schultheis is the talent behind The Host Notes, simple recipes for joyful gathering. If you loved this sweet treat, find more seasonal, hospitality-focused recipes at thehostnotes.com or follow along @thehostnotes on Instagram or Pinterest.