Valentine Brownies with Cream Cheese Icing

by | Feb 10, 2020 | Desserts, Holiday

These bright red Valentine Brownies are a delicious fudgy treat for your loved one! Colored to match the holiday with a crunchy exterior, they’re a rich chocolaty brownie topped with a smooth cream cheese icing and shards of white chocolate. 

INGREDIENTS
¾  cup butter, plus more for the pan
4-oz. high-quality dark chocolate such as Guittard
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs
1-oz. bottle red liquid food coloring, we used McCormick
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon expresso powder
1/8 teaspoon salt

Topping (below)
cream cheese icing
white chocolate

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 350°. Using butter, lightly grease two 12 cavity nonstick brownie bar pan.

In a bowl set over simmering water, melt the chocolate and butter whisking until smooth. Remove from the heat and cool slightly. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar and eggs until light in color Slowly, a small amount at a time, temper the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture. Whisk in the red food coloring and the vanilla extract. In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking powder, expresso powder and salt. Add to the chocolate mixture and combine well. Add to the prepared pan.

Bake for 20-22 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool completely on a wire rack for ten minutes, then remove the individual brownies from the pan to a wire rack and cool completely for about an hour.

 

Cream Cheese Icing
INGREDIENTS
8-ounce package cream cheese, room temperature
3 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

INSTRUCTIONS
Using a stand or hand mixer, beat the cream cheese and butter at medium speed until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar, salt, and vanilla beating until blended. Add the icing to a piping bag and pipe a small amount of icing on top of each brownie. Top with shards* of white chocolate.

*using a vegetable peeler with a bar of white chocolate, peel off thin pieces of chocolate.