Chocolate Cherry Brownie Kisses

You may remember last month I started baking through Lick the Bowl Good, the fantastic new cookbook by food blogger Monica Holland.  Last month we baked a Banana Pecan Breakfast Cake, which was amazing.  This month the group is baking Chocolate Cherry Brownie Kisses, which seems very appropriate for the chocolate-loving month of February.



Making these brownies ended up being a little challenging since I was not baking in my kitchen.  You get so used to having what you need and knowing where everything is, but I guess it is good to be taken outside your comfort zone every now and again as you have to improvise.  Although they may not have turned as quite as pretty as I would have liked, they sure were tasty.

When making the brownies I used a silicon pan, and I had a really hard time removing them - I thought that this type of pan was supposed to be easier.  The next time I make them I am going back to a regular pan, and if I still have trouble I will just use liners in future.

I am not a big fan of maraschino cherries, so I decided to use canned black cherries instead, which turned out to be a good idea since they made the brownies taste a little like a Black Forest cake. Although my family enjoyed the frosting, I think that I would prefer a little whipped cream that has some black cherry juice added to it as the topping. These went quickly in my house so I would suggest you make a double batch.

I also recommend that you hop over to Kim's blog, Ninja Baking, to check out her take on these mini brownies - hint, it involves a little splash of alcohol :).


Chocolate Cherry Brownie Kisses
(Printer Friendly Recipe)

Ingredients
Brownies ~

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 large egg
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ⅔ cup granulated sugar
• ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• ⅛ teaspoon salt

Filling ~

• ⅓ cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 10-ounce jar maraschino cherries, drained and patted dry (reserve the cherry liquid for use in the frosting)

Cherry Frosting ~

• ¼ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• ¾ cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon maraschino cherry juice
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation
Brownies ~

1. Preheat oven to 350℉.
2. Spray a 24-cup mini muffin tin with non-stick baking spray and set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the butter, oil, egg, and vanilla.  Add the sugar and whisk to combine.
4. Add the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt to the sugar mixture.  Whisk until the dry ingredients are fully incorporated and no lumps remain.  Batter will be grainy.
5. Divide the batter batter evenly between the prepared pan.
6. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean.
7. Using the handle of a wooden spoon, gently press down the center of the brownie, creating a cup to hold the filling.
8. While the brownie cups are still hot, place 3 chocolate chips into the center and let sit for a couple of minutes to soften the chocolate, then place a whole cherry in the brownie cups, gently pressing them into the chocolate.
9. Allow the brownie cups to cool for 5 minutes before carefully removing them to a rack to cool completely. While they cool, make the frosting

Frosting ~

1. In a medium bowl, combine the butter and cream cheese and beat until creamed.
2. Add the powdered sugar and mix until incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
3. Add the maraschino cherry juice and the vanilla and whisk to combine.
4. Put the frosting into a piping bag and pipe over the cooled brownies bites, or simply dollop a spoonful of frosting onto each brownie.
5. Store at room temperature.

Recipe Lick the Bowl Good by Monica Holland (published by Skyhorse Publishing)