Brownie Hearts By Martha Stewart Recipes

BROWNIE HEART CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Coat an 8-inch square cake pan with cooking spray, line bottom with parchment, then spray parchment.
• Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Place butter and chocolate in a heatproof mixer bowl set over a pot of simmering water, stirring until chocolate melts.
• Attach bowl to mixer, add sugar, and whisk on medium-high speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, then vanilla. Reduce speed to low, and add flour mixture.
• Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full. Spread remaining batter in square pan. Bake until set but still soft, about 18 minutes. Let cool in tins and pan on wire racks.
• Frost cupcakes with buttercream. Cut out 24 hearts from brownie in pan using a 1 1/2-inch heart-shaped cutter. Top each cupcake with a heart.

ULTIMATE BROWNIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425 degrees. Butter a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish, and line dish with parchment paper. Butter and flour parchment. Set dish aside.
• Place unsweetened chocolate and butter in the upper pot of a double boiler; melt over barely simmering water, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, and set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine eggs, vanilla, and sugar; beat on high speed for 10 minutes. Reduce speed to low; add chocolate mixture, beating to combine. Add flour and salt gradually, beating just to combine. Fold in semisweet chocolate chunks.
• Pour batter into the prepared baking dish. Bake bars until edges just start to pull away from pan, but the center is still moist, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer dish to a wire rack to cool. Using a serrated knife, cut bars into 24 pieces. Store brownies in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

FUDGY DOUBLE-CHOCOLATE BROWNIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-inch square baking pan and line with parchment, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides; butter parchment.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, and salt. In a large heatproof bowl set over (but not in) a pot of simmering water, combine 1 1/2 cups chocolate (6 ounces) and butter; heat, stirring, until melted. Remove from heat. Immediately add sugar and whisk 10 seconds.
• Add eggs, one at a time, then vanilla; whisk vigorously until glossy and smooth, 45 to 60 seconds. Using a rubber spatula, stir in flour mixture until just combined, then fold in remaining 1/2 cup chocolate (2 ounces). Transfer batter to prepared pan, smoothing top with spatula.
• Bake until top is shiny and crackly and a tester comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool 20 minutes. Using parchment overhang, lift brownies from pan. Let cool completely on rack before cutting into squares. Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 2 days.

VALENTINE HEART BROWNIES

Steps:

• Prepare brownie mix according to package directions, adding mint extract to batter. Transfer to a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack., Meanwhile, in a small bowl, cream the butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla and, if desired, food coloring until light and fluffy. Transfer to a pastry bag. Set aside., Line a baking sheet with parchment. Dust with cocoa; set aside. Cut brownies into 15 rectangles. Using a 1-1/2-in. heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut out a heart from the center of each brownie. Reserve cutout centers for another use. Place brownies on prepared baking sheet. Pipe frosting into centers of brownies.

CHOCOLATE BROWNIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread chopped walnuts on a baking pan; toast until fragrant, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool.
• Increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees. Generously butter a 9-by-13-inch baking pan, and set aside. Bring a medium sauce- pan of water to a simmer. In a heat-proof bowl, combine the chocolate and butter. Set bowl over the simmering water until the chocolate mixture has melted. Remove from heat, and set saucepan aside.
• Combine chocolate and butter in a heat-proof bowl or the top of a double boiler. Set over a pan of simmering water until the chocolate mixture has melted. Remove from heat; set aside.
• In bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs, sugar, and espresso at high speed for 10 minutes. Reduce speed to low, and add the melted-chocolate mixture and the vanilla; beat until combined. Slowly add the flour and salt; beat just until incorporated.
• Remove the bowl from mixer, and fold in the chocolate chips and toasted nuts. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until the edges are dry but the center is still soft, about 30 minutes. Remove brownie from oven, and transfer to a wire rack to cool. Cut into 3-inch squares.

FUDGY CHOCOLATE BROWNIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan or heatproof glass dish. Line pan with parchment paper, leaving a 1-inch overhang on 2 sides. Set aside. Place butter and chocolate in a large heatproof bowl set over (but not touching) simmering water; stir frequently until chocolate and butter are melted, about 7 minutes. Remove bowl from heat; let cool to room temperature, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Stir sugar into cooled chocolate mixture until combined. Whisk in eggs one at a time, whisking until smooth after each addition. Whisk in vanilla. Gently fold in flour and salt.
• Pour batter into prepared pan, and smooth top with an offset spatula. Bake until cake tester inserted in the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached, 40 to 45 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Run a knife or offset spatula around the edges of the pan. Using parchment, lift brownies out of pan and onto the rack. Transfer to a cutting board; cut into 2-inch squares.

BROWNIE HEARTS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Line 8-inch square pan with foil, allowing some to hang over edges of pan. Grease bottom and sides of foil with shortening or cooking spray. Make brownie batter as directed on box. Spread in pan.
• Bake 35 to 38 minutes or until toothpick inserted 2 inches from side of pan comes out almost clean. Cool completely on cooling rack, about 1 1/2 hours. Freeze in pan 15 minutes.
• Using foil to lift, remove brownies from pan, and peel foil away. With deep 2 1/2-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut 7 brownies. Save leftover pieces for snacking.
• Arrange brownies on serving plate. With small strainer, sprinkle brownies and plate with cocoa.

MARTHA STEWART'S GUILT-FREE BROWNIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line bottom and sides of an 8-inch-square baking pan with foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang. Set aside.
• In a small saucepan, bring an inch of water to a simmer over low heat. Place chocolate and butter in a medium heatproof bowl; set bowl over pan. Stir occasionally until melted. Remove from heat. Immediately whisk in sugar, egg, egg white, prune puree, vanilla, and salt until smooth.
• In a medium bowl, sift together flour and cocoa. Stir into chocolate mixture just until incorporated.
• Spread batter in prepared pan. Bake until top is firm (a toothpick inserted in center will come out with a few moist crumbs), about 30 minutes. Let cool completely in pan. Using foil, lift brownies from pan. Peel off foil. Using a serrated knife, cut into 16 squares.