Chocolate Covered Strawberry Brownies for #FWCon

Have you heard of the Food and Wine Conference?  It’s a conference for bloggers, small business owners, winemakers, chefs, media, and more!   This is the second year it’s being held and I’m hoping to win a ticket to go by entering the Dixie Crystals Brownie Dessert Contest!

I would like to say that I got this recipe right on the first try…but I’d be lying.   The brownies were awesome and the ganache was awesome the first time around but both are things I make often.   The problem was the strawberry frosting layer.  Of course, anytime I try to make a frosting with fresh strawberries it’s a disaster.

Why try it again then?   Because I had this idea for Chocolate Covered Strawberry Brownies and I couldn’t get it out of my head.   I talked about it to my husband until he said I better just go out and try making them.   So I did!  The brownies are fudgy and delicious.  The ganache is rich and smooth.  The strawberry frosting…well it wouldn’t set.   The first attempt tasted great but it ran all over everything.

The second attempt definitely had a better consistency but for some reason when I poured the ganache over top it sank into the top of the frosting and made a mess.   The third time I made it I got it right.   It took a lot more powdered sugar then I initially thought, but I finally had a firm frosting that wouldn’t run and would hold up to the ganache.

The result was amazing.   The noises coming from my husband and I as we ate them may have been obscene.   They were that good.   Rich chocolate brownie topped with sweet strawberry frosting and then drizzled with melted chocolate goodness.   These are definitely special occasion brownies!

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Brownies

 

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Ingredients

For the brownies:

• ½ c. butter, softened
• ¾ c. Dixie Crystals granulated sugar
• ¼ c. Dixie Crystals brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 t. vanilla
• ¼ c. cocoa powder
• 2 oz. unsweetened baking squares, melted
• 1 c. flour
• ½ t. baking powder
• ½ t. salt

For the Strawberry frosting:

• ⅓ c. fresh strawberries, sliced
• 1 T. strawberry syrup
• ½ c. butter, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 1 T. meringue powder
• 4-5 c. Dixie Crystals powdered sugar

For the chocolate ganache:

• 6 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• ¾ c. heavy cream

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray and 8 x 8 inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
2. In a large bowl beat the butter with a mixer until smooth. Add in the granulated and brown sugars and mix well. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix well.
3. Add the cocoa powder and mix until completely incorporated and then slowly stir in the melted chocolate.
4. In a small bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add it to the chocolate batter and mix well.
5. Pour the brownie batter into the pan and bake 23-27 minutes or until a toothpick entered into the center comes out clean.
6. Remove from oven and cool on a rack for at least 30 minutes.
7. To make the frosting puree the strawberries in a food processor or blender. Pour into a bowl and combine with the strawberry syrup. Set aside.
8. In a large bowl beat the butter on high until it is smooth. Add in the meringue powder and 1 cup of powdered sugar. Beat until smooth. Add in 2 tablespoons of the strawberry mixture. Continue alternating powdered sugar and strawberry mixture until frosting is desired consistency.
9. Spread strawberry frosting over top of brownies and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
10. To make the ganache place the chocolate in a heat proof bowl and set aside. Pour the heavy cream in a saucepan and cook over medium heat until simmering. Remove from heat and immediately pour over top of the chocolate. Allow to sit for 2 minutes then whisk until smooth.
11. Let the ganache cool for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove brownies from refrigerator and pour cooled ganache over top. Allow to cool completely. The ganache will look hardened when it is ready.
12. Place brownies in the refrigerator for 15 minutes before cutting in order to make straight, smooth cuts. Enjoy!

Notes

A Hezzi-D original recipe

3.4.3177

Dixie Crystals is holding contest to create a brownie inspired dessert for the Food and Wine Conference. First place prize is $500 plus a conference ticket and more. Find out how to enter and all the details at Dixie Crystals Brownie Dessert Contest. It’s time to get baking!