Brownie Petits Fours Recipes

BOURBON-BROWNIE PETIT FOURS

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan melt and stir butter and unsweetened chocolate over low heat until smooth. Remove from heat; cool.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8x8x2-inch baking pan with foil, extending the foil over the edges of the pan. Grease foil; set aside. In a small bowl stir together bourbon and coffee granules; set aside.
• Stir sugar into cooled chocolate mixture in saucepan. Add eggs, one at a time, beating with a wooden spoon just until combined. Stir in vanilla and bourbon mixture.
• In a small bowl stir together flour and baking soda. Add flour mixture to chocolate mixture, stirring just until combined. Spread batter evenly in the prepared baking pan.
• Bake for 30 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Using the edges of the foil, lift the uncut brownies out of the pan. Cut off the edges of brownie; save for another use.
• For petits fours, cut brownies into 1- to 1-1/2-inch squares. Coat petits fours with Semisweet Chocolate Glaze.
• For Milk Chocolate Frosting, beat the reserved cooled milk chocolate mixture with an electric mixer about 30 seconds or until fluffy. Spoon frosting into a decorating bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe large rosettes in the center of each petit four. Milk Chocolate Frosting and Semisweet Chocolate Glaze
• In a small saucepan bring whipping cream just to boiling over medium-high heat. Remove from heat. For Milk Chocolate Frosting, transfer 1/2 cup of the hot cream to a small bowl. Add milk chocolate pieces (do not stir). Let stand for 5 minutes. Stir until smooth. Cover loosely and chill for 1 to 2 hours. For Semisweet Chocolate Glaze, add semisweet chocolate pieces to the remaining hot cream in saucepan, stirring until smooth. Set aside. When ready to glaze petits fours, reheat Semisweet Chocolate Glaze over medium-low heat to reach pouring consistency, stirring constantly.

PETIT FOURS

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Liberally spray an 18-by13-inch sheet pan with nonstick cooking spray and line it with parchment paper. Stack the lined sheet pan inside a second sheet pan, to avoid extra browning when baking.
• In a mixing bowl, add the flour, baking powder and salt and whisk to combine. Set aside.
• In a food processor, pulse together the almond paste, granulated sugar and honey. Pulse until well combined. Open the food processor and scrape the sides and bottom with a metal spoon to check that the almond paste is completely incorporated. Add the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing to combine after each addition.
• Add the eggs one by one, pulsing until each is completely incorporated. After the last addition, scrape down the bowl and then pulse until the batter is completely smooth and slightly fluffy. Pulse in the flour mixture until blended.
• Spread the batter evenly in the prepared sheet pan. Bake until the cake is golden brown and springs back when gently poked, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool completely.
• While the cakes are cooling, color the Royal Icing in the colors of your choosing and add each color to a pastry bag fitted with a #2 tip. Pipe tiny flowers on a piece of parchment by making small closed spirals in one color, then add leaves to either side in the other color. Set aside to set up and harden, about 1 hour.
• Remove the cake from the sheet pan and cut in half widthwise. Spread the jam on top of one half and top with the second half. Freeze for 10 minutes to set.
• Use a serrated knife to cut the cake into 1-inch squares. Place onto a parchment-covered sheet pan and freeze for at least 1 hour.
• For the coating icing: In the meantime, add the white chocolate chips to a heatproof bowl and set over a pot of simmering water (the bowl should sit above and not touch the water). Heat, stirring, until melted and smooth.
• Sift the confectioners' sugar into a separate large bowl. Stir in the hot water and corn syrup until smooth. Stir in the melted chocolate. If the icing is too thick (it should be pourable), add more hot water 1 teaspoon at a time. Use while warm; you can reheat it in the microwave if necessary as you are working.
• Put the little cakes on a wire rack fitted inside a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Coat the cakes with the icing using a spoon and small offset spatula, or add icing to a pastry bag, snip the corner and use to coat each cake. Top each with a hardened royal icing decoration. Allow the icing to set up before transferring to a serving platter.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fit with a paddle attachment, add the confectioners' sugar and meringue powder and beat to combine. Beat in 4 tablespoons of warm water to combine. Raise the paddle head to check the consistency of the icing; the icing should be thick and smooth but not dripping from the paddle. Add more water until the desired consistency is reached. (You can add slightly more water to achieve a flooding consistency icing to completely cover cookies. Use a stiffer consistency to pipe decorations and details.)

VALENTINE'S BROWNIE PETITS FOURS

Steps:

• Set oven to 350 degrees F.
• Line a 13 x 9-inch baking dish with foil extending the foil over sides of the pan.
• Grease only bottom of the foil.
• In a large bowl combine the brownie mix with oil, water and eggs; beat 50 strokes with a wooden spoon.
• Spread batter into greased foil-lined baking pan.
• Bake for about 28-30 minutes or until set (do not overbake!).
• Cool 1 hour in pan (or until completely cooled).
• Remove brownies from pan by lifting the foil.
• Place the unsliced brownies in the freezer; freeze for 30 minutes.
• Using a Valentines heart-shaped cookie cutter cut into heart shapes or using a knife slice into 1-1/4-inch squares or as desired.
• Return to freezer while preparing the icing.
• For the icing; in a medium saucepan melt the chocolate chips over very low heat, stirring constantly.
• Add in canned frosting and vanilla; mix to combine, then heat 1-2 minutes or until of desired coating consistancy, stirring constantly; remove from hea.
• To coat each heart or square with icing; place the brownie on fork over the sauce, spoon the icing over brownie, coating all sides except the bottom (if icing thickens heat over low heat until desired consistancy).
• Place on small flat sheet lined with wax paper.
• Repeat with all the brownie heart or squares.
• Place in refrigerator to firm up.
• Drizzle the tops of the cold squares with red decorator icing if desired.

TEA PARTY 'PETIT FOURS'

Steps:

• Fill each brownie with 1 tsp. COOL WHIP.
• Microwave chocolate and cream in microwaveable bowl on MEDIUM (50%) 2 to 3 min. or until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring after 1-1/2 min. Spread over brownies.
• Top with candied violets. Refrigerate until glaze is firm.