02 May 2011

Little Brownie Bonbons ...



Let's just start out this post by getting it clear ... yes, those are highly processed maraschino cherries and yes, I went one step further and used their highly processed FDC#2 red dye-infused syrup to flavour the drippy glaze that is atop these brownie sugar bombs. No, I'm not apologetic, because I don't remember the last time I had maraschino cherries, so I don't feel that they will kill me or throw the levels of FDC#2 red dye into lethal levels in my bloodstream. Phew ... I feel better already!





I will admit that I fell in love with the look of these little three bite desserts the minute I saw them. Of course, the recipe makes close to forty and so I couldn't make them until I had 'an occasion'. So this weekend there was a special program at our local community church and that was 'occasion' enough. I figured SB and I could knosh a couple and let the rest of the folks get their fill of these little sugar bombs too. Is that evil?

They're a classic brownie recipe baked up as mini-muffin-shaped bites. While the brownies are still a bit warm, you use the handle end of a wooden spoon to poke a small hollow into the center of each brownie.



Let the brownies cool completely and then pipe a smooth chocolate cream filling into the hollows.




Top with maraschino cherries that have their stem attached ... so cute!



Pull out all the stops and drizzle those babies with a maraschino juice, kirschwasser, and confectioner's sugar glaze.




And there you have it ... yummy little bonbons for a lovely little reception. A little bit of sweetness and bad chemicals without too much guilt.




Brownie Bonbons

a recipe from Grandma’s Old-Fashioned Cookies

Ingredients:

2 jars maraschino cherries with stems (10-oz jars)
kirschwasser (for soaking the cherries) - optional
4 squares unsweetened chocolate
¾ stick butter
2 c. sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. flour
Chocolate Fudge Filling (recipe follows)
½ c. confectioner’s sugar

Making the Bonbons:
1. Pre heat oven to 350°F.

2. Place the chocolate and butter in a microwave safe bowl and zap on ‘HIGH’ for 2 minutes, stirring after one minute and again after another 30 seconds. When the butter is completely melted, remove from microwave and stir until the chocolate is also melted.

3. Add the sugar and stir well.

4. Mix in eggs and vanilla until well-blended.

5. Stir in flour.

6. Spray mini-muffin pans with Pam spray or grease them well.

7. Fill the muffin cups 2/3 full with batter.

8. Bake for 20 minutes or until the center poked with a toothpick comes out with fudgy crumbs. Do not over bake.

9. Let the brownies cool for a few minutes in the pan. Then, run a knofe tip around the edges and gently turn out of the pan to a parchment paper work surface.

10. Make a ½ inch indentation in the center of each brownie and let them finish cooling.

11. Make the chocolate fudge filling. Drain the cherries, reserving the juice from the jars. Let the cherries dry a bit on paper towel-lined plates.

12. Combine the powdered sugar with enough of the cherry juice to make a thin glaze.

13. Spoon or pipe about a teaspoonful of fudge filling into each brownie’s indentation.

14. Gently press a cherry into the top of each filling mound.

15. Drizzle with a bit of the cherry glaze made with the 1/2 c. confectioner's sugar, a bit of the maraschino cherry juice, and some kirschwasser.

Makes: 40 bonbons
Chocolate Fudge Filling

Ingredients:

3 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
¼ c. corn syrup
3 squares unsweetened chocolate melted and cooled
1 c. confectioner’s sugar

Making the Filling:
1. Whip the cream cheese, vanilla, and corn syrup together until well-blended.

2. Add the cooled chocolate and beat until smooth.

3. Gradually add the confectioner’s sugar beating until smooth and silky.

4. Place in a small plastic bag with the corner nipped off and pipe into the brownies’ centers.

Make: about 1 cup








13 comments:

  1. *mouth...drooling...* nah, don't worry about the dye, you didn't add too much and the colours look amazing!

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  2. oh my god they are adorable!!!!!!!!!!... I can taste them now... am I really sad... I love the flavour of those glacier cherries, they take me back to my childhood!... I think these may have to go into my repetoire!

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  3. These are gorgeous, and I love the chocolate and cherry combo. Such a cute mini size, too! Lovely presentation.

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  4. Oh man, these are so pretty .... I'd say they were really delicious.

    I'm sure that you were the most popular person at church that day!!!

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  5. They look absolutely gorgeous and irresistible. What lucky people at church!

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  6. @ BVG - haha! One woman came up to me with two of these brownies onher plate and said, " I just knew these had 'Susan' written all over them!' She gave me a good chuckle!

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  7. Wow! Those look crazy good. I saw a strange looking pan on the Avon website that makes those holes in the top while the brownies are baking. Your method is much, much friendlier to the space I have in my kitchen.

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  8. Yummm...I will be making these when I get my oven back!

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  9. You shouldn't feel guilty at all. Definitely not something you make or eat daily, and they are so dainty and pretty, and I'm sure delicious!

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  10. Your red dye confession was too funny. I think you were perfectly justified in making and eating a few of those lovely treats!

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  11. Dear Susan - I want to lick the screen and polish off a whole plate of those...I could no use a plate full of these brownie filled goodies right now. But then again I could gobble up anything and everything you cook :)

    chow!

    Devaki @ weavethousandflavors

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  12. I'm pretty sure there is a jar of those cherries in my refrigerator right now. No telling how long it's been there though. My husband is a cocktail snob and likes manhattans, so we have gradually worked our way through all of the high end bottled cherries. If you feel like splurging for this desert in the future, I recommend these. http://www.kegworks.com/enlargeImage.php?productid=172224&imageid=7786. Or go crazy and make your own http://www.cupcakeproject.com/2009/06/homemade-maraschino-cherries-dont-put.html

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  13. Yum! What a lovely looking treat! These are definitely on my "to make" list.

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