Brownie Candy Cups

This is another one of my favorite recipes from my Aunt Mary.  These brownies taste like you spent all day on them, but they're super simple.

1 package Duncan Hines Brownie Plus Double Fudge mix

2 eggs

1/3 cup water

¼ cup Crisco or oil

30 mini Reese’s, unwrapped

Preheat oven to 350.  Place 2” foil liners in muffin tins.  Combine brownie mix, fudge package (from mix), eggs, water, and oil in a large bowl.  Stir with wooden spoon until well blended.  Place 2 level tablespoons of batter in each liner.  Bake for 10 minutes, remove from oven.  Push a Reese’s in center of cupcake until even with surface.  Bake 5-7 minutes more.  Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack.

Berries & Cream Brownie Squares

1 19-21 oz package brownie mix, and ingredients to make cake-like brownies*

¼ cup strawberry jam

6 oz white chocolate baking squares or almond bark

16 oz container Cool Whip, thawed and divided

8 oz block cream cheese, softened

¼ cup powdered sugar

½ cup toasted sliced almonds, coarsely chopped

2 cups strawberries (about 12 strawberries), sliced

½ cup blueberries

Chocolate baking squares, almond bark, or chocolate syrup

Prepare brownies according to package.  Microwave jam on high for 15- 20 seconds or until melted.  Pour and spread over brownies.  Microwave the white chocolate on high 1-2 minutes or until melted and smooth, stirring every 30 seconds.  Stir together cream cheese and powdered sugar with melted white chocolate.  Spread mixture over strawberry-covered brownies.  Cut brownies into portions.  Place a dollop of Cool Whip on each brownie.  Top each with a couple strawberry slices and blueberries.  Sprinkle entire pan of brownies with almonds.  Drizzle chocolate syrup or melted chocolate baking squares on top.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.

*You can make brownies from scratch if you so choose.

Whenever I make these, I typically make a half sheet pan (or jelly roll pan) as pictured above to take to a gathering.  You need a double-batch of 9x13 brownies to make that much.

Cream Cheese Brownie Bites

Yields about 5 dozen

For the brownies:
1 stick unsalted butter, cut into 3 pieces
4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups flour

For the cream cheese topping:
6 ounces cream cheese (3/4 block), softened
3 tablespoons sugar
1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
1/2 cup semisweet mini chocolate chips

Heat the oven to 350º and line mini muffin tins with foil or paper liners.

Make the brownie batter: Combine the butter and chocolate in a small heatproof bowl. Microwave for 30 second intervals and heat, stirring frequently until the butter and chocolate are melted and smooth. Set aside.

With a stand mixer (use the whisk attachment) or a hand mixer, beat the eggs and salt in a large bowl on medium speed until very foamy, about 2 minutes. Continue beating while gradually adding the sugar. Beat until thick and pale, about 3 minutes. Scrape the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture, add the vanilla, and fold until the two mixtures are just barely incorporated. Add the flour and continue folding until just incorporated. Scrape the batter into a 1-gallon plastic storage bag. Squeeze out as much air as possible and seal.

Make the cream cheese topping: In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese and sugar until smooth and creamy. Add the egg yolk and mix until blended. Pour in the chips and mix until blended, being careful not to break the chips. Scrape into a 1-quart plastic storage bag. Squeeze as much air as possible and seal.

Assemble and bake: Snip off one corner of each bag, to make a piping bag. Fill each lined muffin cup about two-thirds full with the brownie batter and then top with about 1 teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture.

Bake trays in the center of the oven until the brownies are puffed and a pick inserted in the brownie comes out just barely clean, about 20 minutes. Let the brownies cool in the trays on racks for 5 minutes before carefully lifting them to racks to cool completely. Be sure the tins are completely cool before lining and filling them with the remaining batters. Store at room temperature or freeze in an airtight container, separating the layers with waxed paper.

Candy Bar Brownies

The following recipe is more of a simple guideline than an actual recipe. I came up with the idea in high school and it's been a family favorite since then.

1 box of 9x13 size brownie mix, baked according to instructions OR 1 homemade batch of brownies
1 large box of chocolate pudding, made according to instructions
1 8-oz container of Cool Whip
Crushed candy bars or candy pieces

Make the box of brownies and the pudding. Let the brownies cool and the pudding set. Next, fold the Cool Whip into the prepared pudding and spread on cooled brownies. Lastly, sprinkle with crushed candy bars, toffee bits, etc. Refrigerate until ready to serve so there's no melting.

Note: I have found M&Ms and Reese's Pieces to be quite hard to chew. I typically stick with crushed Snickers, Butterfinger, or Heath. To crush candy bars, unwrap and freeze in a plastic bag then hit with a hammer.

I'm sure you could try with any combination of pudding and candy. My personal preference is chocolate, so that's why I've written the recipe as such.

Chocolate Brownies with Chocolate Frosting

Brownies
16 brownies

½ cup margarine
1 cup sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
6 tablespoons cocoa
2 tablespoons margarine or oil
1 teaspoon baking powder
2/3 cup flour

Cream together sugar and margarine. Add remaining ingredients and stir well with wooden spoon after each. Pour batter into greased and floured (with cocoa) 8” square pan. If doubling, you must use a 9”x13” pan. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes. Make sure brownies are cool before adding icing or it will melt.

Chocolate Frosting
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa
2 tablespoons soft margarine or butter
1 tablespoon milk

Stir together and add more of any ingredient to make spreadable. Use the back of a big tablespoon to frost over brownies. This amount will cover an 8” square pan.